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
Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
The first candidates are Always Morning, Phatt James, Ruby Leftstep, Teddy Rosé and Your Upstairs Neighbour AU.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
The 2006 gubernatorial election in California saw actor and Republican candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger elected with 55% of the vote.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
What To Know According to a new straw poll released by The Lost Coast on Tuesday, conducted among 2,640 respondents in California, Braveheart actor Mel Gibson has emerged as the top Republican candidate for California governor, with 12% of the vote.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 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 18 Apr. 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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