aspirant
UK[əˈspaɪərənt]US[əˈspaɪrənt]
n
a person who has a strong desire to achieve something important, such as a high position or an honor.
adj
having ambitions to achieve something; aspiring.
Morpheme Breakdown
a
spir
ant
a
to
spir
breathe
ant
one who
Etymology
the word 'aspirant' has its breath in the latin verb 'aspirare', which literally meant 'to breathe upon' or 'to pant after'. this verb was a compound of the prefix 'ad-' (to, towards) and 'spirare' (to breathe). the metaphorical leap from physical breathing to ambition is ancient; to 'aspire' was to ardently desire something, as if panting or reaching for it with one's breath. the '-ant' suffix, denoting the person who performs the action, was added to form the noun. thus, an aspirant is etymologically 'one who breathes towards' a goal, capturing the sense of directed effort and yearning that defines ambition.
Analysis
Structure: a (to) + spir (breathe) + ant (one who)
a-: latin prefix 'ad-', meaning 'to, towards'. in this form, it is assimilated before 's'.
spir: latin root 'spirare', meaning 'to breathe'.
-ant: latin suffix '-antem', forming agent nouns meaning 'one who does' or 'being in a state'.
Examples
she was a young aspirant to the throne, studying statecraft diligently.
the party attracted many aspirant politicians seeking to launch their careers.
he offered guidance to aspirant writers at the workshop.