landline

American  

[land-lahyn] / ˈlændˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a circuit of wire or cable connecting two ground locations.

2. a telecommunications line, service, or connection that uses wire running over land or underground to connect to a network.

   telegraph and telephone landlines.

3. Also called landline telephone.  Also called landline phone.  a telephone that is connected by wire to a network.

4. Citizens Band Radio Slang. a telephone.

---

Etymology

Origin of landline

First recorded in 1860–65; land + line ¹

Example Sentences

Screen Sanity recommends introducing technology to kids in stages: first, a screen-free landline, then a smartwatch, followed by a stripped-down smartphone with restrictions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

He told the court he had never worked for ANL, had never been involved in landline tapping, and that he "never carried out unlawful information gathering for ANL".

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Many with ties to Iran are still receiving landline phone calls from inside -- "quite surprising" given the internet blackout, said Mahsa Alimardani of global rights organisation Witness.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

In her personal life, she’s vigilant about avoiding online data tracking and maintains a landline in her Bay Area home to avoid giving out her cell phone number.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

Her cell phone never worked well at Yuko’s house in Phoenix, so she gave Zeitoun the landline there.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers