English
lobby
Lobby comes from Medieval Latin lobia ‘a portico, covered way, gallery’, from Frankish *laubijā ‘arbour, shelter’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewbʰ-root as named
- Frankishc. 250–700*laubijā‘arbour, shelter’reconstructed
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500lobia‘a portico, covered way, gallery’
- Englishearliest quotation 2005lobby
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewbʰ-root as named
- Frankishc. 250–700*laubijā‘arbour, shelter’reconstructed
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500lobia‘a portico, covered way, gallery’
- Englishearliest quotation 2005lobby
Earliest quotation: 2005, Charles R. "Butch" Farabee Jr., Death: “Ranger Leslie Thompson, assigned to elevator duty, brought the…”
The story
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.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-
left, believe, love, leave, library, belief, leaf, lib, libel, loft, libido, liber, libretto, luft, lief, lob, 17 more
through Frankish *laubijā ‘arbour, shelter’
Today it means
noun An entryway or reception area; vestibule; passageway; corridor.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- / lobby