lobbyist
UK: ˈlɒbiɪst | US: ˈlɑːbiɪst
n. a person who tries to influence legislation or policy decisions, typically on behalf of a special interest group or organization
lobbyist = lobby<influence> + ist<agent noun suffix>
- lobby: Originally referred to the entrance hall of a legislative building (from Latin lobia "covered walk"). By the 19th century, it evolved to mean influencing legislators in such spaces.
- ist: A suffix denoting a person who performs a specific action (from Greek -istes via Latin -ista).
Etymology Origin:
The term emerged in 19th-century U.S. politics, where individuals would wait in legislative lobbies to persuade lawmakers. The lobby metaphorically became a verb ("to lobby"), and -ist formalized the role. The word encapsulates the spatial and strategic essence of political influence.
The oil industry hired a lobbyist to advocate against stricter emissions laws.
As a lobbyist, her job involves building relationships with key policymakers.
Environmental groups criticized the corporate lobbyists for blocking climate legislation.
The lobbyist presented data to convince senators to support the bill.
Transparency laws now require lobbyists to disclose their clients and spending.