landline

noun

land·​line ˈland-ˌlīn How to pronounce landline (audio)
variants or less commonly land line
1
: a line of transportation or communication on land
especially : a telephone line that transmits signals from one station to another directly along a wire without the use of radio waves
It reminds me of the tipping point several years ago when people realized they no longer needed a telephone landline and would do just fine with their cell phones. Rana Foroohar
often used before another noun
a landline phone
a landline network
2
: a telephone that connects by wire : a landline telephone
Of course, if you're really worried, you could ditch your cell phone for a quaint landline.Kiera Butler

Examples of landline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Pollsters partly concede the point; few people these days are willing to be candid with a stranger about politics, and fewer still have landlines. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 Having a working landline puts her in select company. Deepti Hajela, Quartz, 23 Feb. 2024 Throughout the day, other cities urged residents to find alternate ways of reaching emergency or municipal services, like landlines or phones connected to Wi-Fi. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Staff and Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Feb. 2024 If approved by the commission, the company would no longer be required to offer landline telephone services in areas where it is presently mandated to offer basic service, according to the request. Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 8 Feb. 2024 In the United States, the shift away from copper landlines will most likely impact people over age 65 and small business owners. Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024 Keep cash on hand, print out important documents and maybe consider keeping that old landline. USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Hodel was skeptical, though, at the notion that people would be unsettled enough to bring landlines and additional phone bills back into their lives. Deepti Hajela, Quartz, 23 Feb. 2024 Customers were advised to use a landline for any calls, or find a cellphone that uses a different carrier. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'landline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of landline was in 1865

Dictionary Entries Near landline

Cite this Entry

“Landline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landline. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

landline

noun
land·​line -ˌ(d)līn How to pronounce landline (audio)
: a line of communication (as by telephone) consisting of a cable laid on land
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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