land line
B1Neutral, slightly informal.
Definition
Meaning
A traditional telephone that uses a physical wire or fibre optic cable connection, as opposed to a wireless mobile/cellular phone.
The physical infrastructure of wired telephone connections, or the phone service provided through it. By extension, sometimes used metaphorically for anything perceived as old-fashioned, fixed, or non-wireless.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A compound noun, often written as one word ('landline') though hyphenated form ('land-line') is also seen. It is defined in opposition to 'mobile phone' or 'cell phone'. Its use has declined sharply with the rise of mobile telephony, making it a marked term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is standard in both varieties. 'Landline' is the dominant form. In the US, 'home phone' or 'wireline' are also common alternatives.
Connotations
In both varieties, it often connotes reliability, fixed location, and older technology. It can carry a slight nuance of being outdated.
Frequency
Frequency of use is declining in both varieties but remains common in contexts discussing phone contracts, emergency services, or contrasting service types.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have/got a landlineuse a landlinecall on a landlinebe connected to a landlinecancel the landlineVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specific to 'landline'. Concept appears in phrases like 'chained to the landline' (old-fashioned).]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in telecoms, IT, and office management to specify a non-mobile connection, e.g., 'All emergency lines must be landlines.'
Academic
Rare, except in sociological or historical studies of communication technology.
Everyday
Common in personal and domestic contexts, e.g., 'Do you still have a landline?' or 'Call me on the landline, the mobile signal is bad here.'
Technical
Used in telecommunications to distinguish PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) services from mobile/wireless services.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [Not standard as a verb. Rarely used as 'to landline someone', meaning to call them on a landline.]
American English
- [Not standard as a verb.]
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
adjective
British English
- We offer both landline and broadband packages.
- Please provide a landline contact number.
American English
- The landline service is more reliable during storms.
- Is that your landline or cell number?
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandma has a landline.
- What is your landline number?
- I keep the landline for emergency calls.
- The internet package includes free landline calls.
- Many young people no longer see the point of maintaining a landline.
- The business retained its landline for a more professional image.
- The gradual phasing out of the copper landline network is causing issues in rural areas.
- He argued that the perceived obsolescence of the landline was premature, citing its superior sound quality and reliability.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of LAND as in 'fixed to the land' (ground, building) and LINE as in 'telephone line'. A phone tied to a physical line in the land.
Conceptual Metaphor
STABILITY IS BEING PHYSICALLY CONNECTED / MOBILITY IS FREEDOM. The landline represents the former, contrasted with the mobile phone's freedom.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as '*наземная линия'*. The standard term is 'стационарный телефон' or 'проводной телефон'.
- Avoid confusing with 'hotline' (горячая линия).
Common Mistakes
- *I'll call your landline number on your mobile.* (Illogical - you call a landline *from* a mobile).
- Spelling as two separate words 'land line' is less common.
- Using 'landline' to refer to a cordless home phone (it's still a landline if it uses a fixed base connected to a phone socket).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the primary defining feature of a landline?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If the base unit of the cordless phone is plugged into a traditional telephone wall socket, it uses the landline network and is considered a landline phone.
Common reasons include reliability during power outages (if it's a traditional analog line), better call quality, bundled services with internet/TV, for use by elderly relatives, or as a dedicated line for a business or alarm system.
They are largely synonymous. 'Fixed line' is a slightly more technical term used in the telecoms industry, while 'landline' is the common everyday term.
No, it is not standard English. The correct phrasing is 'call on the landline' or 'phone on the landline'.