landlord

noun

land·​lord ˈland-ˌlȯrd 

1

: the owner of property (such as land, houses, or apartments) that is leased or rented to another

2

: the master of an inn or lodging house : innkeeper

Synonyms of landlord

• proprietor
• lessor
• letter
• renter

Examples of landlord in a Sentence

agreed to pay the landlord the rent on the first Monday of each month

a weekend workshop that is intended to disabuse would-be landlords of a bed-and breakfast that the job is one long vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

The bankruptcy case reveals significant claims from Concord Mills of $606,200, as well as other mall landlords including Roosevelt Field in New York, Woodfield Mall in Illinois, and the Mall of Georgia. — Catherine Muccigrosso july 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026

Because so little new retail space has been built in recent years, existing shopping centers are seeing very low vacancy rates, which is helping landlords push rents higher and giving developers more confidence to move forward with new projects. — Arthur Zackiewicz, Footwear News, 14 July 2026

Having an American spouse was hardly a guarantee of financial solvency, a landlord told her, because couples separated by deportation frequently got divorced. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

The 25-acre studio next to the Grove and Original Farmers Market could attract bids from neighboring landlords, raising fresh questions over expansion plans, landmark protections and the neighborhood’s future character. — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing landlord

• absentee landlord

Rhymes for landlord

• abhorred
• aboard
• accord
• adored
• afford
• award
• baseboard
• billboard
• blackboard
• boxboard
• breadboard
• broadsword

Kids Definition

landlord

noun

land·​lord -ˌ(d)lȯ(ə)rd 

1

: the owner of land or houses that is rented to another

2

: a person who runs an inn or rooming house

Legal Definition

landlord

noun

land·​lord

: the owner of property (as houses, apartments, or land) that is leased or rented to another