landowner

Everyday

1. A landowner is a person or group that owns land, especially a large area such as a farm, an estate or fields. tree →
2. (law, money) A landowner has the right to decide how the land is used, and may rent it to others. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons landowners were often rich and powerful, and poor people worked their land; in geography, landowners decide whether fields are farmed or built on. In everyday news a landowner may give or refuse permission for a path or a new house. Phrases: "wealthy landowner", "private landowner", "with the landowner's permission".

Examples

• The landowner let us camp in his field for the night. tree →
• In the Middle Ages most farmers rented their fields from a landowner. tree →
• You need the landowner's permission to fish in this river. tree →
• The landowner planted hundreds of trees on her hill. tree →
• In the story, a greedy landowner threw the family off the farm. tree →
• Australia's biggest landowners run huge cattle stations. tree →
• The council talked with three landowners about building the new school. tree →

Note

Countable: a landowner, landowners. It is a compound of land + owner. A landowner may be a person, a family, a company or a church. Do not confuse with "landlord", who rents a house or flat to a tenant; a landowner owns the land itself (a landowner can also be a landlord).