semifinalist

[ sem-ee-fahyn-l-ist, sem-ahy- ]

noun

, Sports.

1. a participant or one qualified to participate in a semifinal.

Word History and Origins

Origin of semifinalist¹

1920–25; semifinal + -ist, on the model of finalist

Example Sentences

The four teams who should be here right now are the semifinalists in the WNBA playoffs.

From FiveThirtyEight

More than 500 people are nominated every year, and from this group the editors pick the most promising 100 to move on to the semifinalist round.

From MIT Technology Review

That season, each national semifinalist had at least one transfer who started, and Loyola Chicago, the Cinderella team of the tournament, had two.

From Washington Post