What does landlord mean?
A landlord is someone who owns property and rents it to other people, or who operates a business providing accommodation for payment. The usual contrast is with a tenant: a landlord receives rent and has responsibility for the property, while a tenant pays rent in return for occupying it. The word can sound neutral when used for an ordinary property owner but may carry an accusatory or adversarial tone when it refers to a person perceived as charging excessive rent, neglecting repairs, or treating tenants unfairly. It is also used figuratively to describe powerful people or organizations that control valuable resources. Although the modern sense usually emphasizes direct property ownership, the word historically denoted an intermediary who handled leases or collected rent between owners and occupants. “Landlady” is the corresponding feminine form when gender is relevant.
nounA person who owns property and rents it to others, or who provides accommodation for payment. The term may also refer to a business person who leases property for others to occupy.
- A person who owns property and rents it to others.
- A person or business that provides accommodation for payment, especially an innkeeper or hotel proprietor.
"The landlord raised the rent despite the building needing repairs."
"The landlord received a letter from several tenants about the broken heating system."
"At the historic inn, the landlord greeted guests with the inn's name painted on a wooden sign."
The regular plural is used for multiple property owners or accommodation providers.
"The tenants approached the landlords about repairing the roof."
The word “landlord” originally referred to an intermediary who collected rent from tenants and passed it on to the property owner.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does landlord come from?
“Landlord” is a compound formed within English from “land” and “lord.” It was originally used for a middleman who leased or collected rents on behalf of a property owner rather than for the owner directly. The second element “lord” ultimately comes from Old English, while the compound itself became established in the modern English period.
How landlord is actually used
The term is standard in British and American English. It is also sometimes used figuratively in business, politics, and media to describe a person with substantial control over property or resources.