liaison

liaison — noun

1. ongoing communication and exchange of information between groups, departments, o

1.nounB2
Definition

ongoing communication and exchange of information between groups, departments, or organizations that need to work together effectively

Example

Close liaison between the design and engineering teams helped the project finish ahead of schedule.

collocation: close liaison + between X and Y

The hospital improved patient outcomes through better liaison with local clinics and pharmacies.

liaison + with + institution

Common collocations
  • close liaison
  • effective liaison
  • regular liaison
  • maintain liaison
  • establish liaison
  • liaison between
  • liaison with
  • liaison among
Synonyms
  • coordination

    focuses on arranging activities to work together; slightly more active

  • cooperation

    emphasises willingness to work together rather than the communication channel itself

  • communication

    broader term; does not imply joint effort or shared goals

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

liaison between X and Y

liaison with X

Usage Note

Frequently uncountable. Typically used with an adjective (close, effective, regular) and a prepositional phrase (between X and Y, with Y, among X).

Common Mistakes

We need more liaison with each department heads.
We need better liaison with each department head.
'liaison' is uncountable in this sense; avoid plural 'liaisons' and use an adjective like 'better' or 'closer'.
The liaison between the groups were good.
The liaison between the groups was good.
takes a singular verb even when referring to multiple parties.

2. an individual appointed to ensure smooth information sharing and coordinated eff

2.nounB2
Definition

an individual appointed to ensure smooth information sharing and coordinated effort between different groups or organisations

Example

Kofi was appointed the project liaison between the construction company and the city council.

appoint + person + as + liaison + between X and Y

The school hired a community liaison to help immigrant families understand the education system.

Common collocations
  • act as liaison
  • serve as liaison
  • appoint a liaison
  • company liaison
  • community liaison
  • project liaison
  • military liaison
Synonyms
  • contact person

    more informal; does not imply an official coordination role

  • go-between

    focuses on passing messages; can be informal or disapproving

  • intermediary

    suggests formal negotiation or mediation between opposing sides

  • representative

    broader; speaks or acts on behalf of one group rather than bridging two

Grammar Patterns

act as liaison + between X and Y

serve as + noun

appoint + noun

Usage Note

Countable. Often preceded by a determiner (a, the, our) or used in job titles (company liaison, community liaison). The related verb liaise (B2) is more common in everyday professional speech.

Common Mistakes

He is liaison of the two teams.
He is the liaison between the two teams.
use 'the' before 'liaison' and 'between' (not 'of').
She liaisons the departments.
She liaises between the departments.
the verb is 'liaise' not 'liaison', and it takes 'between'.

3. a romantic or sexual relationship conducted in secret, usually because at least

3.nounC1
Definition

a romantic or sexual relationship conducted in secret, usually because at least one of the people involved is already committed to another person

Example

The newspaper revealed details of the senator's liaison with a former staff member.

register: formal journalistic use

Their secret liaison continued for several years before anyone in the family suspected it.

Common collocations
  • secret liaison
  • illicit liaison
  • romantic liaison
  • have a liaison
  • wartime liaison
Synonyms
  • affair

    more common in everyday language; can suggest ongoing emotional involvement

  • romance

    broader; does not necessarily imply secrecy or commitment elsewhere

Grammar Patterns

possessive + liaison + with + person

Usage Note

This sense is formal and often carries a judgemental or disapproving tone. In everyday conversation, 'affair' is much more common. Use 'liaison' primarily in formal writing (news reports, historical accounts, literature).

Common Mistakes

They had a liaison last night.
They had an affair / a romantic encounter.
using 'liaison' for casual sexual encounters sounds unnatural outside formal or literary contexts.

4. the speech pattern in which a normally silent final consonant is pronounced and

4.nounC2
Definition

the speech pattern in which a normally silent final consonant is pronounced and connected to the following word when that word opens with a vowel

Example

In spoken French, liaison makes the final consonant of 'les' audible before a vowel.

liaison + in + language (French example)

English speakers use a linking r, a form of liaison, when saying 'far away' aloud.

Common collocations
  • liaison rule
  • liaison consonant
  • obligatory liaison
  • facultative liaison
  • make liaison
  • liaison in French
Synonyms
  • sound linking

    more descriptive and intuitive for non-specialists

  • connected speech

    broader term covering all sound changes in fluent speech, not just consonant-to-vowel linking

Grammar Patterns

liaison + between + sounds

liaison + consonant

liaison + rule

Usage Note

A technical term in phonology. Most relevant to learners of French. In English, the phenomenon exists (linking r, intrusive r, consonant-to-vowel linking) but is rarely called 'liaison' outside linguistics textbooks.

Common Mistakes

English has liaison like French.
English has similar sound-linking patterns, but the rules are different from French liaison.
learners often assume the same rules apply across languages.

Word family

  • liaise
    verbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all refer to people or groups working together, but they emphasise different aspects. 'Liaison' focuses on the ongoing flow of information between separate groups — it is the channel itself, not the act of working together. 'Coordination' is more active: arranging tasks, schedules, and resources so that efforts align. 'Cooperation' stresses willingness and helpfulness rather than structure — two groups can cooperate without formal liaison. 'Communication' is the broadest, covering any exchange of information whether or not it serves a shared goal. 'Collaboration' goes furthest, implying people work jointly on the same task. For example: 'Good liaison between the offices prevented misunderstandings' (information flow), but 'Good coordination prevented schedule conflicts' (activity arrangement).

coordination ↗cooperation ↗communication ↗collaboration ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • act as liaison
  • serve as liaison
  • in liaison with
  • through liaison with

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Borrowed from French 'liaison' meaning 'a binding or joining', which came from Latin 'ligatio' (binding), from 'ligare' (to tie or bind). The word entered English in the 17th century with the general sense of 'a bond or connection'. The cooking sense (a thickening agent) and the military sense (communication between units) developed in the 18th–19th centuries. The romantic/secret relationship sense emerged in the early 20th century, and the linguistic sense was adopted from French phonetics around the same period.