finalist
/fɪˈnælɪst/ · fin.a.list
noun
- Somebody or something that appears in the final stage of a competition. The two finalists in the election will face off in the final debate.
- A university student in his/her final year of study. As a finalist in her program, she was eligible for a prestigious scholarship.
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Did you know? The term 'finalist' gained widespread use in the early 20th century, particularly in the context of sports and academic competitions, where it helped to distinguish between participants who had reached the final stage and those who had been eliminated earlier.