Lieu Survives in English in Only a Few Phrases
Lieu means place. English keeps the French word in a handful of fixed expressions.
Lieu means place, and survives in English almost entirely in the phrase *in lieu of*, meaning instead of. It is also hidden inside *lieutenant*, which means place-holder: a lieutenant holds the place of a superior officer. The British pronunciation *leftenant* is old and its origin disputed, with the most common explanation being that the U was once read as a V or F sound. French *lieu* comes from Latin *locus*, a place, which also gives *local* and *locate*.
- A place. *Lieu.*
- In lieu of — instead of. *In lieu of notice.*
- Lieutenant — a place-holder. *A lieutenant.*
- Latin — *locus*, a place. *The root.*
- French — *lieu*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lieu | In lieu. |
| Phrase | in lieu of | In lieu of. |
| Related | lieutenant | A lieutenant. |
| Related | local | Local. |
| Latin | locus | A place. |
- Cash in lieu of holiday.Phrase.
- Lieutenant means place-holder.Etymology.
- Locus means a place.Latin.
The locus family
- Local — belonging to a place
- Locate — to find the place of
- Locomotive — moving from place to place
- Allocate — to assign to a place
- Lieu and lieutenant — through French
French *lieu*, a place, from Latin *locus*.
What does lieutenant literally mean?
Place-holder. A lieutenant holds the place of a superior officer when required.
Why do the British say leftenant?
The pronunciation is old and its origin disputed. The usual explanation is that the U was once read with a V or F sound.