One who’s up for an award

verb

1. Designate, name

   "the first of the commonly so nominated explorers of the American Arctic"

2. To appoint or propose for appointment to an office or place

   "He was nominated to the Supreme Court."

3. To propose as a candidate for election to office

   "We expect the party to nominate him for president."

4. To propose for an honor

   "nominate her for player of the year"

5. To enter (a horse) in a race

noun

1. One of two or more people nominated for something (such as an award) a fellow nominee

   "… when she won a National Book Award for poetry in 1974, she insisted on sharing the honor with her co-nominees Alice Walker and Audre Lorde."