Semifinalist (noun)

A contestant who has reached the stage of a competition where they are one step away from reaching the final round.

Origin:

Derived from the latin prefix 'semi-' meaning 'half' and the noun 'finalist'.

Examples:

1. She was selected as a semifinalist in the national singing competition.
2. The team was elated to find out that they were one of the ten semifinalists in the tournament.
3. The semifinalists will perform live in front of a panel of judges and a large audience.
4. He was nervous but also excited to be competing as a semifinalist in the cooking competition.
5. The semifinalists will receive special recognition and a prize for their achievements in reaching this stage of the competition.