ENGLISH
REFERENCE

liaison

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US //ˈɫeɪˌzɑn// UK //liːˈeɪzɒn// li·ai·son

n. a person who helps different groups communicate and work together. In cooking, it can also mean a mixture used to thicken a sauce.

n. a person who facilitates communication and cooperation between different groups or organisations. In a culinary context, refers to a thickening agent, such as a mixture of egg yolks and cream, added to sauces or soups.


SIMPLE

She acts as a liaison between the two departments.

CONTEXTUAL

The chef added a liaison of cream and egg yolks to the velouté to give it a silky texture.

COMPLEX

Effective project management requires a dedicated liaison to ensure that the technical team and the stakeholders remain aligned on the final deliverables.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from French liaison (“binding”), from Latin ligātiō (stem ligātiōn-; whence the English doublet ligation), derived from ligō (“I bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind”).

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'between' when referring to communication; in cooking, it is usually uncountable.

Pitfall

he is the liaison for the two groupshe is the liaison between the two groupsWhen describing a person connecting two parties, 'between' is the standard preposition.

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