lobby

/ˈlɒb.i/

//ˈlɒb.i// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lobby" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lobby” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,806 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,806
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An entryway or reception area; vestibule; passageway; corridor.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

lobby vs loy
60% similar
lobby vs lobe
60% similar
lobby vs Loeb
40% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for lobby
PropertyValue
Headwordlobby
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɒb.i/
Letters5
Frequency rank#6,806
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lobby” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). lobby lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for lobby is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɒb.i/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,806 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for lobby, with forms such as "lboby", "llobby", and "lobbyy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 16 confusable-pair relationships, "loy", "lobe", "Loeb", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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 e… The correct English form is lobby, spelled L-O-B-B-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    An entryway or reception area; vestibule; passageway; corridor.
  2. 2
    That part of a hall of legislation not appropriated to the official use of the assembly.
  3. 3
    A class or group of interested people who try to influence public officials; collectively, lobbyists.
  4. 4
    A virtual area where meeting attendees can await admittance from an authorized person.
  5. 5
    A virtual area where players can chat and find opponents for a game.
  6. 6
    An apartment or passageway in the fore part of an old-fashioned cabin under the quarter-deck.
  7. 7
    A confined place for cattle, formed by hedges, trees, or other fencing, near the farmyard.
  8. 8
    A margin along either side of the playing field in the sport of kabaddi.
  9. 9
    A waiting area in front of a bank of elevators.

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.

This word in other languages

vestíbulo(Español)vestibule(Français)Lobby(Deutsch)saguão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lboby,llobby,lobbyy,loby,lobyb,olbby

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lobby - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

lboby2llobby1lobbyy1loby1lobyb2olbby2
Edit distance from "lobby"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lobby"?
"lobby" is spelled L-O-B-B-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɒb.i/.
What does "lobby" mean?
As a noun, "lobby" means: An entryway or reception area; vestibule; passageway; corridor.
What words are commonly confused with "lobby"?
"lobby" is commonly confused with "loy", "lobe", "Loeb". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lobby"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lobby" is /ˈlɒb.i/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lobby"?
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 ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “lobby”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-O-B-B-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɒb.i/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “loy” - see the side-by-side comparison. lobby vs loy
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list