How assemblies, candidates, voting and public office were named.
candidate (n.)
Collection
Public Life
A candidate is someone being considered for a position, office, award, or other selection.
The word comes from Latin candidatus, meaning white-robed. In ancient Rome, a man seeking public office was associated with a bright white toga, and the word for the clothing became the word for the office-seeker.12
English later widened candidate beyond elections to people being considered for many kinds of positions or outcomes.1
She was one of three candidates for the position.