liaison
lee-AY-zon
/liˈeɪzɒn/
A sexual relationship between two people who are not married to each other; also, a person who acts as a link between groups.
In a romantic context, it sounds sophisticated and often implies a level of complexity or danger. It can also be a neutral business term.
The story behind the word. From the French 'liaison,' meaning a binding or connection. It comes from the Latin 'ligare' (to tie). Originally used in cooking to describe a thickening agent that binds ingredients, it moved to military and then romantic contexts.
Word relationships
- affair: Affair is the most common term; liaison sounds more formal or European.
- intrigue: Implies a secret love affair that involves plotting or complexity.
Commonly confused with
- alliance: An alliance is an open agreement for mutual benefit; a liaison (romantically) is a secret connection.
Word family
- liaise (verb): To establish a working relationship or link.
Collocations
- dangerous liaison
- secret liaison
- brief liaison
Example sentences
- "Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) explores the cruel games of the French aristocracy." A classic French novel title.
- "Their brief liaison was the talk of the office for months after it ended." Describing a secret office romance.
Memory hook
A LIAison is a secret ALLIANCE (lia-ance) between two people. A secret bond.
When not to use
Don't use it for a casual 'hookup'; it implies a more established, though secret, connection.
Fun facts
- In linguistics, 'liaison' refers to the sounding of a normally silent final consonant before a word starting with a vowel (common in French).
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