See Also: Candidate(medicine)
candidate(dictionary)
candidate(dictionary)
CANDIDATE(law)
candidate species(medicine)
Candidate gene(health)
Gene, candidate(health)

candidate (iou)



candidate noun & verb. E17.
[Old & mod. French candidat or Latin candidatus clothed in white, a candidate for office (who appeared in a white toga), from candidus: see CANDID, -ATE1.]
A. noun.
I.
A person who seeks or is nominated for (election to) an office, honour, position, etc.; spec. an examinee; more gen., an aspirant, one who seeks something. (Foll. by for, of.) E17.
S. Johnson A candidate for literary fame. J. Buchan I became the Conservative candidate for the counties of Peebles and Selkirk. Day Lewis The 'infant' candidate for baptism turned out to be a strapping boy of nine or ten.
A person or thing thought likely or worthy to gain a particular position. M18.
Goldsmith If ever there was a candidate for Tyburn, this is one. J. Narlikar The X-ray source Cygnus X-1 is perhaps the most promising candidate for the location of a black hole so far known.
II.
Roman History. A member of one of four companies into which the imperial guard was divided. M17.
b. verb intrans. Stand as a candidate. Chiefly US. M19.
candidateship noun = CANDIDACY L18.