landlord
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a person or company that you rent a room, house, or office from.
the owner of real property who leases it to a tenant in exchange for rent.
Simple“The landlord fixed the broken heater two days after we called him.”
In context“The landlord is legally obligated to ensure that the property meets all safety standards before the new tenants move in.”
UsageThe feminine form 'landlady' is still common, though 'landlord' is increasingly used as a gender-neutral term in legal contexts.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the person who owns or manages a pub.
the proprietor or manager of a public house.
Simple“The landlord of the local pub knows all the regulars by name.”
In context“After the football match, the landlord struggled to serve the sudden influx of thirsty supporters crowding the bar.”
Teacher's tipThis is a very common term in the UK for the person behind the bar who runs the establishment.
Synonymspublicaninnkeeper - 03 C2 Proficiency
a humorous or scary name for a shark in the ocean.
a metaphorical reference to a shark, personifying it as the owner of the water.
Simple“The surfers got out of the water quickly when they thought they saw the landlord.”
In context“Local surfers often use the term 'the landlord' to refer to the great white sharks that frequent the bay during the summer months.”
UsageUsually used with the definite article as 'the landlord'.
Teacher's tipThis is niche surfing slang; learners will rarely encounter it outside of coastal communities or specific subcultures.
Synonyms
“It’s a gross failure of one of the most fundamental duties a landlord owes to their tenants – especially during record-breaking heatwaves .”
“On the few occasions when Trading Standards can shut a business permanently, it's generally by working with landlords, who evict tenants.”
From Middle English londlord, landlorde, from Old English landhlāford, equivalent to land + lord. Cognate with Scots landlaird, Middle Low German lantlord (“homeowner, landlord”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.