contender

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Someone who has a real chance of winning a competition or prize.

   After her brilliant season, she became a serious contender for the award.

2. 2
   noun

   A person or thing competing against others.

   Several strong contenders entered the race for the party leadership.

Simplified etymology

Contender, recorded from the mid-16th century, belongs to the family of contention, ultimately from Latin contendere “strive with.” It originally meant a fighter rather than simply a competitor.

From contend + -er.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary