/ əˈspaɪərənt; NAmE ; ˈæspərənt/ noun
aspirant (to / for sth) ( formal ) a person with a strong desire to achieve a position of importance or to win a competition :
aspirants to the title of world champion
► as·pir·ant adjective [ only before noun ] = aspiring
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 18th cent. (as a noun): from Latin aspirant- aspiring, from the verb aspirare , from ad- to + spirare breathe.