lieu

noun

ˈlü 

archaic

: place, stead

Phrases

in lieu

: instead

in lieu of

: in the place of : instead of

Did you know?

Lieu vs. Loo vs. Lue

Due to its unusual Francophonic spelling, many people misspell lieu (which appears most often in the phrase in lieu of) as loo or lue. We even have evidence for people assuming the phrase is inlu of. It is, in fact, in lieu of. Lieu as a standalone noun means “place” and it’s now archaic. You can remember the spelling of lieu by using the mnemonic “lieu in everyday use.”

Examples of lieu in a Sentence

I have decided that in lieu of a going-away shower, those who wish to go in on a nice gift for her can see me after church. —Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989

Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours? —Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842

But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate. —Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813

Recent Examples on the Web

But in lieu of a flamboyant, la dolce vita–style lifestyle brand, Bottega only whispered of luxury. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2025

Mushrooms available in lieu of meat for all dishes. —Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 3 Jan. 2025

Side two is the Instant Redness Corrector that can even be used in lieu of foundation (or worn underneath it) on no makeup-makeup days. —Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025

In lieu of cash payments, China is likely to demand ownership of Laotian land and infrastructure. —Felix Salmon, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English liue, from Anglo-French liu, lieu, from Latin locus — more at stall

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lieu

noun

ˈlü 

archaic

: place entry 1 sense 7b, stead