What does nominee mean?
A nominee is a person who has been formally proposed for an office, position, award, or honour. The term is especially common in political reporting, where a party chooses one candidate to represent it, and in entertainment and cultural contexts, where people or works are nominated for awards. Compared with candidate, nominee suggests a more definite stage in the selection process: the person has not merely expressed an interest or aspiration but has been officially put forward. In legal and financial usage, a nominee can instead be someone designated to receive property, hold shares, or perform an action on behalf of someone else. The word is generally formal and neutral, although being named a nominee often carries positive recognition even when the person or work does not ultimately win. Its usefulness lies in distinguishing formal nomination from the broader idea of simply being a possible contender.
nounA person formally proposed for election to an office, appointment to a position, or receipt of an award or honour. In legal and financial contexts, a nominee may also be a person designated to receive or act on behalf of another.
- A person formally proposed for election to an office, appointment to a position, or receipt of an award or honour.
- A person designated, especially in a legal or financial arrangement, to receive property, benefits, or rights, or to act on another person's behalf.
"After the announcement, the nominee thanked her supporters and said she would await the final decision."
"The film received widespread praise, and its director became an award nominee."
"The nominee shareholder held the shares on behalf of the beneficial owner."
The standard plural is formed by adding -s to the end of the word.
"The two nominees addressed the committee before the vote."
A nominee is more than someone hoping for the job: the word marks the moment a person has been formally put forward—and even a losing nominee can become a celebrated one.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nominee come from?
Nominee comes through French from the Latin nominare, meaning “to name” or “appoint by name,” which is based on nomen, the Latin word for “name.” English borrowed the word for a person designated for an office or honour, and later extended its use to legal and financial arrangements in which someone acts or receives something on another person's behalf. Its relatives include nominate, nominal, denomination, and nomenclature, all of which reflect the same Latin family associated with naming.
Related word forms
How nominee is actually used
The word is formal and commonly used in political, institutional, legal, financial, and awards contexts. It usually implies formal selection by a nominating group rather than merely an intention to run or compete.
Easily confused with nominee
A candidate is someone who seeks or may seek a role, while a nominee has been formally put forward for that role or honour.