1. 1. An instance or a means of communication between different groups or units of an organization, especially in the armed forces.
   2. One that maintains communication: served as the President's liaison with Congress.
2. 1. A close relationship, connection, or link.
   2. An adulterous relationship; an affair.
3. Linguistics. Pronunciation of the usually silent final consonant of a word when followed by a word beginning with a vowel, especially in French.

[French, from Old French, from Latin ligātiō, ligātiōn-, from ligātus, past participle of ligāre, to bind. See ligate.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.