liaison

Channel between parties

Liaison is a connection or communication between groups or people, often in an official capacity: She served as liaison between the departments.

A liaison officer coordinates such communication.

The word also means a secret romantic or sexual relationship, especially an extramarital affair: Their liaison lasted several months.

In French cooking, a liaison is a thickening agent like egg yolk or cream.

intermediary

go-between

Agent connecting separate parties

mediatorNeutral conflict resolver
facilitatorNeutral process guide
coordinatorOne who arranges activities

representative · agent · contact · delegate · emissary · conduit · middleman · spokesperson · interlocutor · broker

affair

infidelity

Disloyalty to a partner

adulteryMarried person's sexual betrayal
extramaritalOutside the marriage bond
trystSecret romantic meeting

clandestine · illicit · paramour · mistress · forbidden · secret · cheating · scandal · entanglement · covert

collaboration

partnership

Shared business arrangement

cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
communicationExchanging ideas or information

relationship · connection · teamwork · networking · interface · integration · cross-functional · interdepartmental · stakeholder · outreach

diplomacy

ambassador

Official foreign representative

envoyAccredited diplomatic representative
embassyOfficial diplomatic residence abroad
consulateForeign diplomatic office

diplomatic · negotiation · foreign-affairs · international · treaty · protocol · summit · delegation · consul · statecraft

phonetics

elision

Dropped sounds in speech

linkingForming a connection
resyllabificationShifting syllable boundaries
consonantIn agreement with

pronunciation · French · assimilation · glide · transition · phoneme · articulation · juncture · smoothing

military

officer

Authority figure in uniform

commanderPerson with authority over others
coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity

operations · briefing · reporting · headquarters · allied · dispatch · communiqué · attaché · strategic · tactical

Categories

French Wordsbaguette, femme, croissant, enfant, champagne
government workerscivil servants, federal workers, civil servant, bureaucrat, federal employees
tricky spellingsaccommodate, acknowledge, acquaintance, acquire, bureau
helpersnurse, helper, volunteer, aide, assistant
White House Staffchief of staff, press secretary, aide, aides, national security advisor
connectionslink, links, connect, connection, tie

Opposites

intermediary role vs. direct participation

liaisonprincipal

Chief school administrator

party · stakeholder · protagonist · prime mover · decision-maker

romantic/sexual affair vs. fidelity

liaisonfidelity

Loyalty or exactness

faithfulness · monogamy · loyalty · constancy · devotion

connection/relationship

liaisondisconnection

State of being severed

separation · estrangement · severance · disengagement · isolation

Phrases

liaison officerInteragency communication facilitator
Dangerous LiaisonsHarmful romantic connections
illicit liaison
police liaisonOfficial connecting authorities externally
military liaisonArmed forces representative
community liaisonPublic-facing organizational representative

Family

liaise, liaisons, liaised, liaising, liaises

Familiarity: Top 100,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG