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.

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Etymology

Origin of landline

First recorded in 1860–65; land + line ¹

Example Sentences

Gavin Burrows allegedly said in a witness statement in August 2021 that he hacked voicemails, tapped landlines and accessed financial and medical information for a journalist at the Mail on Sunday.

From BBC

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

Others still use landlines, which can function when the internet is shut off, but which are widely believed to be monitored by authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

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

“They probably canceled their landline and went down to just cell phones during the move. That’s what we did—oh, why didn’t I call her back last week?”

From Literature