Meaning & use
a landlord
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Meanings
nouncountable
a person or company that owns a house, apartment, or other property and rents it to others
Grammar: Countable: 'a landlord', 'the landlords'. Use 'landlord of' before the property: 'the landlord of the building'.
Patterns
- landlord of something
- pay rent to a landlord
- a landlord rents out something
The landlord raised the rent again this year.
If the heating breaks, call the landlord immediately.
She has been a landlord for ten years and owns three apartments.
nouncountableBritish
a man who owns or manages a pub or inn, especially in Britain
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'of' to name the pub: 'the landlord of The Red Lion'.
Patterns
- landlord of a pub
- the landlord behind the bar
The landlord of the local pub knows all his customers by name.
We asked the landlord to recommend a good local beer.
Word forms
| plural | landlords |
|---|---|
| feminine | landlady |
Common combinations
- private landlord
- Many students rent from a private landlord rather than the university.
- landlord and tenant
- The contract explains the rights of both landlord and tenant.
- the landlord's permission
- You need the landlord's permission to keep a pet.
- complain to the landlord
- We complained to the landlord about the broken window.
Synonyms and how they differ
- property owner
- 'Property owner' is a general term that does not necessarily mean the person rents the property out; 'landlord' always suggests renting to tenants.
- lessor
- 'Lessor' is a formal legal term for the person who grants a lease; 'landlord' is the everyday word.
Opposites
Word family
- landlady noun
- A female landlord, especially of a pub or small hotel.
- landlordism noun
- The system or practice of being a landlord, often used critically.
Commonly confused: a landlord or tenant?
a landlord vs tenant
A tenant pays rent and lives in the property; a landlord owns it and receives the rent.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'landlord' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The landlord is the owner who receives rent, so you pay rent to the landlord. Option 2 confuses the roles. Option 3 reverses the relationship (the landlord rents out, not rents from). Option 4 describes a tenant, not a landlord.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a landlord”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.