descendant

[dih-sen-duhnt]

noun

1. a person or animal that is descended from a specific ancestor; an offspring.

2. something deriving in appearance, function, or general character from an earlier form.

3. an adherent who follows closely the teachings, methods, practices, etc., of an earlier master, as in art, music, philosophy, etc.; disciple.

4. Astrology.

   1. the point opposite the ascendant.

   2. the point of the ecliptic or the sign and degree of the zodiac setting below the western horizon at the time of a birth or of an event.

   3. the cusp of the seventh house.

adjective

1. descending; descendent.

descendant

¹

/ dɪˈsɛndənt /

noun

1. a person, animal, or plant when described as descended from an individual, race, species, etc

2. something that derives or is descended from an earlier form

adjective

1. a variant spelling of descendent

Descendant

²

/ dɪˈsɛndənt /

noun

1. astrology the point on the ecliptic lying directly opposite the Ascendant

Word History and Origins

Origin of descendant¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English descendaunt (adjective), from Old French descendant “going down,” present participle of descendre “to go down”; equivalent to descend + -ant

Example Sentences

Come celebrate your descendants, ancestors, and your life at the Sands of Asase!

Read more on Literature

From that day, the family tree had been split in two: Pax and his descendants on one side, Agatha and hers on the other.

Read more on Literature

He was the only son of Jean and James, who were descendants of English, Scottish and Irish settlers.

Read more on BBC

Watson was born in Chicago in April 1928 to Jean and James, descendants of English, Scottish and Irish settlers.

Read more on BBC

“They want their country back . . . but they also yearn for recognition and remembrance from that country that no longer exists, from wives and children, from future descendants, from the men they used to be.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• heir 
• offspring 
• scion