Agency Dictionary
Lobby
nounPronunciation: /ˈlɑː.bi/
In Portuguese: Lobby
Society & PoliticsWhat does “Lobby” mean?
An organized group of individuals or corporate representatives seeking to influence legislators, government officials, or public policies in favor of specific commercial or special interests.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin lobia and laubia (covered walkway, gallery, portico), borrowed from Frankish laubijā, meaning a shelter made of foliage. The word shares its root with leaf, lodge, and loggia. The sense of an entrance hall in a building is recorded in English from the 16th century; the political sense, referring to spaces in legislative buildings where the public could meet members, developed later and gave rise to the verb.
Synonyms
- pressure group
- interest group
Often confused with
- foyer
- A foyer is specifically the entrance area of a theatre or public building; lobby is broader and also carries the political sense.
Word family
- lobbyist
- lobbying
Rhymes with
- hobby
- bobby
- knobby
Usage examples
Political Influence: Corporations often lobby and make political contributions to influence policy decisions in their favour.
Concepts
- Corporate ImperialismCorporate imperialism is an economic and political condition in which transnational corporations wield sovereign-like power over foreign territories, resources, and legal…
- Corporate PowerCorporate power denotes the extensive economic, informational, and political influence concentrated within large multinational enterprises and media conglomerates. This…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
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- Agoranoun
- A public open space in ancient Greek cities used for assemblies, commercial markets, and philosophical dialogue.
- Allegiancenoun
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- baronnoun
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- Clausenoun
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- Demagoguenoun
- A political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than rational argument.
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- honestioresnoun
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Also from these editions: terms
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- An instrument designed to measure temperature or thermal gradients across systems. Figuratively, it denotes any sensitive indicator or gauge used to measure changing economic, environmental, or social conditions.
- Warehousenoun
- A large commercial building used for the organized storage, maintenance, and distribution of raw goods or manufactured inventory prior to shipment. It serves as a central hub in logistics operations.
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