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n. 1. A person who seeks or is nominated for an office, prize, or honor. 2. A student who has nearly completed the requirements for a degree. 3. One that seems likely to gain a certain position or come to a certain fate: young actors who are candidates for stardom; a memorandum that is a good candidate for the trash can. [Latin candidātus, clothed in white (from the white togas worn by Romans seeking office), candidate, from candidus, white; see CANDID.] candi·da·cy (-də-sē), candi·da·ture′ (-də-chr′, -chər) n. |
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