noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of contestant
From French, dating back to 1655–65; see origin at contest, -ant
Explanation
A contestant is someone who competes in a game or contest. Contestants in many beauty competitions need to demonstrate a talent, like singing or dancing, as well as look pretty. If you're a contestant on a TV game show, you might have to answer trivia questions, and if you're a debate contestant, you need to argue your case clearly. You can also be a contestant in a sporting competition or on a reality show. Contestant comes from the verb contest, from the French contester, "oppose," which has a Latin root, contestari, "to bring action."
Vocabulary lists containing contestant
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
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Out of My Mind
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Alex Trebek (1940–2020) Tribute List
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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.
Raj Bhakta was a former contestant on “The Apprentice,” an unsuccessful congressional candidate and an embattled whiskey entrepreneur.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
For one Love Island USA contestant, the drama started before even entering the villa.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
A “Love Island USA” contestant says she takes full ownership for the controversial social media videos that cost her a spot in the hit reality TV series this week.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
Don’t say it too loudly: This may be a race to shift to the public some of the losses from an AI buildout that seems increasingly unlikely to yield profits for every contestant.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
As the guys walked to the next contestant, Nancy felt awful.
From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene
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.
