Added 9 October 2026
candidate
/ˈkæn.dɪ.dət/ noun
In Latin: candidatus Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about candidate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A politician who is running for public office.
- Someone who is considered for something (for an office or prize or honor etc.).
Origin
From Latin candidātus (“a person who is standing for public office”, noun), from candidus (“dazzling white, shining, clear”) + -ātus, -āta, -ātum (participial adjective-forming suffix), in reference to Roman candidates wearing bleached white togas as a symbol of purity at a public forum. By surface analysis, candid + -ate (noun-forming suffix).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)