Eligibles

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Individuals who meet necessary criteria or qualifications for a specific role or status
2. Persons considered suitable for certain services, opportunities, or benefits based on predetermined standards
3. Candidates recognized as qualified due to their adherence to specified requirements or conditions

Etymology: "Eligibles" is simply the plural of "eligible," used as a noun for people who meet the conditions for something, such as a job, a benefit, or a marriage match. The adjective "eligible" came into English from Middle French "eligible," which in turn descends from the Latin "eligibilis," meaning "able to be chosen." That Latin adjective is built on "ēligō," "to select or choose," a verb formed from "ex-" meaning "out" plus "legō," "to pick out, gather, or read." The same "legō" root lies behind words like "collect" and "lecture," so "eligible" carries the sense of picking something out from among many. Its noun use, the plural "eligibles," follows the adjective's shift from describing a quality to naming the people who possess it. Here the word moves from a property of a thing to a label for the individuals being selected.

Synonyms: qualified, entitled, fit, suitable, acceptable

Antonyms: ineligible, unqualified, disqualified, unsuitable, unfit