A lobby is an open area near the entrance of a building, such as a hotel or theater, where people can wait or meet. As a verb, it also means to try to influence government officials to support a particular cause or law.
The room sense comes from Medieval Latin “lobia,” meaning a covered walk or gallery. The political sense developed in Britain, where people met lawmakers in the lobby of Parliament to argue for their interests.
The same word describes a hotel entrance and powerful political pressure, because both are about access to important rooms. Modern “lobbying” often happens through emails and meetings, but it still centers on getting close to decision‑makers.
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