lobby

Definition

An entryway or reception area; vestibule; passageway; corridor.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin lobia, lobium, laubia (“a portico, covered way, gallery”), borrowed from Frankish *laubijā (“arbour, shelter”), related to Old English lēaf (“foliage”). More at leaf. Doublet of leaf, lodge, and loggia. Political sense derives from the entrance hall of legislatures, where people traditionally tried to influence legislators because it was the most convenient place to meet them.

Example Sentences

• "I had to wait in the lobby for hours before seeing the doctor."
• "Near-synonym: special interest"
• "The influence of the tobacco lobby has decreased considerably in the US."