English Reference
noun

applicant

n.
US /ˈæpɫɪkənt/ UK /ˈæplɪkənt/ ap·pli·cant UK spelling applicant's, applicant's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person who formally asks for a job, a place in a school, or a loan.

    a person who submits a formal application for a position, admission, or financial assistance.

    Simple

    The company received over two hundred applicants for the junior designer position.

    In context

    The admissions committee reviewed each applicant's portfolio to ensure their technical skills met the university's rigorous entry requirements.

    Usage

    Often followed by the preposition 'for'.

    candidatebidderaspirant
  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalTechnical Law

    a person who makes a formal request to a court or a government office.

    the party who brings a formal petition or request before a court or administrative body.

    Simple

    The applicant requested a building permit to add a garage to his house.

    In context

    The applicant sought a judicial review of the council's decision, citing a failure to follow proper consultative procedures.

    Usage

    In legal contexts, this term often replaces 'plaintiff' depending on the type of court or action.

The stronger competition has tipped record numbers of applicants into clearing, or settling for their second choices, with universities in some cases wanting students to defer for a year.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

Accepted applicants from China rose to 13,870 from 12,380 last year.

The Guardian· 13 Aug 2026

From Latin applicans, present participle of applicare. See apply.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin applicans
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated