A person or team that has advanced to the final round or competition of a contest.
From 'final' (from Latin 'finalis' meaning last) plus '-ist' (one who participates). The word became common in the early 1900s as sports competitions formalized.
Being a finalist means you've beaten everyone else—even if you come in last place in the finals, you're still in the top tier, which is why sports broadcasters celebrate finalists almost as much as winners.
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