A candidate is a person who is trying to get selected for something, whether it's a job, a political office, or a spot on a team. When your school holds elections for student council president, each person running is a candidate. When someone applies for a job at a company, they become a candidate for that position.

The word comes from an ancient Roman tradition. In Rome, people running for office wore togas made white with chalk to show they were pure and honest, and the Latin word for “wearing white” was candidatus.

Being a candidate means putting yourself forward and letting others evaluate whether you're the right choice. A candidate for class president might give speeches explaining their ideas, just as a candidate at a soccer team tryout demonstrates their skills on the field. Companies interview multiple candidates before choosing who to hire. During presidential elections, candidates travel the country explaining their plans and trying to earn votes.

You might hear someone say a person is “a good candidate for” something, meaning they seem well-suited for it. Your teacher might say you're a strong candidate for the math competition because of your problem-solving skills. The plural is candidates, and the word works the same way whether there are two candidates or twenty.