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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then, the encrypted document moves via landline from the TDRS ground terminal to the Mission Control Center in the Johnston Space Center in Houston. Ben Kesslen, Quartz, 5 Nov. 2024 Then the firm's callers — EPIC-MRA uses live callers, not computerized calls, and these days 80% of those calls are made to cell phones, not landlines — start making the calls with a set script to ask each person who agrees to take part and responds to all of the questions. Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2024 In a memorably recursive moment, the character of Casey Becker (played by Drew Barrymore) is quizzed on horror movie trivia by the killer via landline. Sydney Bishop, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024 For example, older people tend to answer landlines, while men and middle-aged people are more responsive to mobile text-to-web surveys. Camille Mumford, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for landline 

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 1 Dec. 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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