landline

noun

land·​line ˈland-ˌlīn 

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

The fine print: The poll of 754 residents across eight police precincts was conducted by the firm North Star Opinion Research over cell phones, landlines and by text message. —Nate Rau, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024

The survey, conducted from October 14-18 via landline and cell phone, included 1,000 likely voters and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. —Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Oct. 2024

Ton urges anyone outside at dawn or dusk to wear insect repellant with DEET, remove objects with standing water from their yard, and report high mosquito levels in a specific area by calling 311 on a mobile device or 954-765-4062 from a landline. —Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2024

Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines and cellphones or completed the survey online after receiving a text. —Dana Blanton, Fox News, 28 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

landline

noun

land·​line -ˌ(d)līn 

: a line of communication (as by telephone) consisting of a cable laid on land