Landlordism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A socio-political framework where individuals own and manage rental properties, exerting authority over their tenants and collecting rent for occupancy
2. An arrangement wherein property owners hold dominion over those renting from them, heavily influencing the living conditions of tenants who pay for housing
3. A socio-economic system where property owners maintain control over rented spaces, dictating terms and collecting fees from those residing within the premises

Etymology: "Landlordism" is a plain formation: the noun "landlord" with the suffix "-ism," which turns a person or role into a system or doctrine. "Landlord" itself combines "land" with "lord," a word that originally meant the keeper of a household and its dependents, so the older sense of the compound points to a lord of an estate rather than a commercial owner of rented homes. The suffix "-ism" comes from Greek "-ismos" through Latin "-ismus," and it is used to name a practice, a belief, or a system built around a central figure or role. Because the suffix is so productive, the word follows the same pattern as terms like "feudalism" or "capitalism," naming the structure in which landlords hold property and tenants occupy it. Its meaning therefore depends on the relationship between owner and occupant rather than on any single act of renting.