candidate

English Online Dictionary. What means candidate‎? What does candidate mean?

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkæn.dɪdət/, /ˈkæn.dɪ.deɪt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkæn.dɪ.deɪt/, /ˈkæn.dɪ.dɪt/
• (US, colloquial) IPA^(key): /ˈkæn.ɪ.dɪt/, /ˈkæn.ɪ.deɪt/

Etymology 1

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).

Noun

candidate (plural candidates)

2. A person who seeks to be elected or appointed to a position or privilege.

3. (figurative) A person who is thought likely or worthy to gain a position or privilege. [from 1760s]
5. (originally jargon) A participant in an examination. [from 1690s]

7. Someone or something likely or suited to undergo or be chosen for a purpose.
9. (genetics) A gene which may play a role in a given disease.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

candidate (third-person singular simple present candidates, present participle candidating, simple past and past participle candidated) (uncommon)

1. To stand as a candidate for an office, typically for a religious one. [from 1840s]
   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:candidated.
2. (nonstandard, chiefly jargon and non-native speakers' English) To make or name (something) as a candidate (to be chosen or deemed suitable for a purpose).

Translations

Etymology 2

From Latin candidātus (“dressed in white”, adjective); see Etymology 1 for further derivations. By surface analysis, candid +‎ -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Verb

candidate (third-person singular simple present candidates, present participle candidating, simple past and past participle candidated)

1. (obsolete, rare, transitive, figurative) To make white; to whitewash. [1628–1677]

References

• “candidate, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “candidate, v.¹”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “candidate, v.²”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “candidate”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present: “one likely or suited to undergo or be chosen for something specified”

Further reading

• James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Candidate”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume II (C), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 63.

French

Pronunciation

Noun

candidate f (plural candidates)

1. female equivalent of candidat

Further reading

• “candidate”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Italian

Etymology 1

Noun

candidate f

1. plural of candidata

Etymology 2

Verb

candidate

1. inflection of candidare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 3

Participle

candidate f pl

1. feminine plural of candidato

Latin

Noun

candidāte

1. vocative singular of candidātus

Norman

Noun

candidate f (plural candidates)

1. female equivalent of candidat

Portuguese

Verb

candidate

1. inflection of candidatar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kandiˈdate/ [kãn̪.d̪iˈð̞a.t̪e]
• Rhymes: -ate
• Syllabification: can‧di‧da‧te

Verb

candidate

1. inflection of candidatar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative