candidate
noun
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Roman Fashion Is Responsible for Candidate
When a man running for public office in ancient Rome greeted voters in the Forum, the center of judicial and public business, he wore a toga that had been whitened with chalk. As a result, the Latin word for someone seeking office came to be candidatus, meaning literally "clothed in white." Candidatus, in turn, comes from the adjective candidus, meaning "white." Candidatus was adopted into English as candidate, and since the 17th century that word has had an uncontested seat in the language.
Examples of candidate in a Sentence
Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
If the lumbar puncture yields positive results, patients may be candidates for a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt.
—Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Adams is instead seeking reelection in November’s general election as an independent candidate.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
Another Democratic candidate, Josh Gottheimer, has represented New Jersey's 5th Congressional District since 2017.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for candidate
Cite this Entry
“Candidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/candidate. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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candidate
noun
from Latin candidatus "candidate," from candidatus (adjective) "dressed in white," from candidus "shining white," from candēre "to be bright, shine" — related to candid, candle
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