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

Its residents have to use landlines and, apparently, only the oldest televisions currently available to humankind. —Jen Chaney, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026

As landlines go the way of the dinosaur and mobile phone communication becomes the standard, the need for these types of communication towers continues to rise. —Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026

Parents are reportedly embracing Tin Can, a $100 screenless, app-free take on the home landline, to stay in contact with their kids. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026

Small changes could help reverse things, like parents talking to their babies more, getting a landline, and maybe putting the smartphone down for a bit during the day. —Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for landline

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• byline
• canine

Kids Definition

landline

noun

land·​line -ˌ(d)līn 

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