landlord
Americannoun
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a person or organization that owns and leases apartments to others.
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a person who owns and leases land, buildings, etc.
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a person who owns or runs an inn, lodging house, etc.
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a landowner.
noun
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a man who owns and leases property
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a man who owns or runs a lodging house, pub, etc
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archaic the lord of an estate
Other Word Forms
- landlordly adjective
- landlordry noun
- landlordship noun
Etymology
Origin of landlord
before 1000; Middle English; Old English landhlāford. See land, lord
Explanation
If you lease an apartment, the person to whom you pay rent is your landlord. A landlord owns a house, building, or property and rents it out to other people. Many people have landlords they call when their drains are clogged and mail their rent checks to on the first of each month. Business owners often have landlords too, who own their retail or office spaces. Men and women can both be landlords, although you can also call a female landlord a landlady. The concept of a landlord goes back to feudalism — the lord part comes from "Lord of the Manor."
Vocabulary lists containing landlord
Chinese History - Introductory
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Little Richard (1932–2020): Tribute List
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Chinese History - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We knew the best landlord we could possibly have would be ourselves,” Capital Group Chief Executive Mike Gitlin said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
“Microsoft is the true landlord in the technology sector since enterprise and consumer data are the rocket fuel to power the intelligence,” wrote Lee.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
It was previously revealed that the Hollywood star turned athlete was issued notice by his landlord on Dec. 18, 2025, informing him that he had three days to either pay rent or vacate the premises.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026
The homes are usually sold through a social landlord, often a housing association.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
His father, also called Edmond, was a prosperous businessman and landlord who married his mother, Anne Robinson, in a church ceremony only seven weeks before the birth.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
