applicant
Americannoun
-
applicants
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of applicant
First recorded in 1475–85, applicant is from the Latin word applicant- (stem of applicāns applying, present participle of applicāre ). See apply, -ant
Explanation
An applicant is someone who signs up or applies for something. A job applicant for example, often fills out a form and then interviews for the position she hopes to get. When you submit your college application to a school you'd like to attend, you are an applicant to that school. Other kinds of applicants are job candidates and scholarship hopefuls. To apply is to put in for or request entry to something, and the root of both apply and applicant is the Old French aploiier, "apply, use, or attach," from the Latin applicare, "attach to, join, or connect."
Vocabulary lists containing applicant
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Syrian Refugee Crisis Continues
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Most cases are dismissed due to procedural issues, such as the applicant failing to appear in court or submit the proper paperwork on time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
It said it will continue to look for ways to improve while still securing the information needed to make a robust assessment of the level of support needed by each applicant.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Lawyers for the applicant also argued that Garvaghy Road residents had refused talks with the Orange Order and the commission breached legislation by making it "a pre-requisite to a parade".
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Screening for virtue can’t prevent that, because the applicant pool is already sorted by appetite, and the appetite grows with the budget.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Mr. Gonzalez prayed almost audibly that this behemoth was an applicant for a job.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
Given that clemency boards often look more favorably on applicants who acknowledge their wrongdoing and express remorse, I asked if he’d been tempted to confess.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
"In the meantime, we are working to speed up claims and improve the experience for applicants," the government said.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
The solicitation, prepared in response to a federal court ruling, seeks applicants to run the homelessness database and housing matching system, conduct the annual homeless count and submit the annual application for U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
This summer, more than 1,300 applicants scrambled to fill a rare vacancy created when one of the quiz show’s eight full-time clue writers retired after 30 years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
The other applicants hadn’t had to deal with questions like these.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
