candidate English · revision 121
5 Oct 2026, 22:00 by bogdan “Add pronunciation, sense history, timeline, meanings, word family, related words” current version
Changes in this edit
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+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /ˈkæn.dɪ.dət/, /ˈkæn.dɪ.deɪt/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkæn.dɪ.dɪt/, /ˈkæn.ɪ.dɪt/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)
+
==Etymology==
First recorded c. 1600,^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|la|candidātus|t=clothed in white; candidate for office]],^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) [[der|la|candidus|t=white]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) The name alludes to the white toga worn by candidates for office in ancient Rome;^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989) such togas were probably whitened with fine powdered chalk.^(Etymonline) Latin ''candidus'' goes back to ''candere'' “to shine”, [[der|ine-pro|*kand-|t=to shine]].^(Etymonline)
@@ -4,4 +7,37 @@
By surface analysis, [[af|en|candid|-ate]].^(Wiktionary)
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ A person who seeks, or is put forward for, an office by election or appointment.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ From the political sense the word broadened to anyone thought likely or worthy to gain a position or honour (1766),^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary) to a person taking an examination,^(Wiktionary) and to someone or something suited to undergo or be chosen for something, such as surgery.^(MW Collegiate)^(AHD) The OED records a special use in the universities from 1691, now merged in the general sense.^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1613 – “one who seeks election or appointment to an office” (the OED's first quotation).^(OED 1989)
+ * 1616 – as a poetic adjective, “clothed in white”, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1691 – a special use in the universities.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1766 – “one thought likely or worthy to gain a position”.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A person who seeks or is nominated for an office, prize, or honour.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Someone or something likely or suitable to undergo or be chosen for something.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A student completing the final requirements for a degree.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[candidacy]]
+ * [[candidature]]
+ * [[noncandidate]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[candelabrum]]
+ * [[candela]]
+ * [[candid]]
+ * [[candle]]
+ * [[candlepower]]
+ * [[candlestick]]
+ * [[chandler]]
+ * [[chandlery]]
+
==References==
{{reflist}}