descendant

[ dih-sen-duh nt ]

/ dɪˈsɛn dənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR descendant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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

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

Astrology.

the point opposite the ascendant.
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.
the cusp of the seventh house.

adjective

descending; descendent.

Words nearby descendant

descartes, rené, descemet's membrane, descemetitis, descemetocele, descend, descendant, descendent, descender, descendeur, descendible, descending artery of knee

Origin of descendant

1425–75; late Middle English descendaunt (adj.) < Old French descendant, present participle of descendre. See descend, -ant

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH descendant

ancestor descendant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for descendant

Her grandfather had been a physician and healer who—according to family lore—married a descendant of the Osage or Pawnee tribes.
Those Kansas City Blues: A Family History|Katie Baker|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the original Marvel comic books, the Mandarin was born and bred in China, a descendant of Genghis Khan no less.
Did Hollywood Collaborate With Hitler? A New Book Makes Bold Claims.|Christopher Bray|September 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It is common knowledge among those familiar with the rabbinic tradition that Haman was considered a descendant of the Amalekites.
Iran as Haman: Jeffrey Goldberg’s Dangerous Analogy|Shaul Magid|February 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Her mother, a descendant of Ashby, helped manage a sugar plantation her family inherited, bringing the story full circle.
The Original Slave Colony: Barbados and Andrea Stuart’s ‘Sugar in the Blood’|Eric Herschthal|January 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Today, in a time of great national distress, Nehru's descendant cannot find the fiber to meet his people.
How Rahul Gandhi Blew the Indian Rape Crisis|Dilip D’Souza|January 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The descendant of Joel sends this to the descendant of the Nerowegs.
The Carlovingian Coins|Eugne Sue
His father, who signed himself Delharpe, was a descendant of a noble family originally of Vaud.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 1|Various
And woe to any one who might now dare to raise that restless spirit, be he Edward S. or any descendant of his!
Clark's Field|Robert Herrick
For those two hundred million dollars were a barrier, which a descendant of Crusaders and preux chevaliers could not overleap.
Mortal Coils|Aldous Huxley
The descendant of John of Gaunt is to render fealty to the brat of a wandering playwoman!'
Micah Clarke|Arthur Conan Doyle

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (1 of 2)

descendant

/ (dɪˈsɛndənt) /

noun

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

something that derives or is descended from an earlier form

adjective

a variant spelling of descendent

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (2 of 2)

Descendant

/ (dɪˈsɛndənt) /

noun

astrology the point on the ecliptic lying directly opposite the Ascendant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

descendant

noun

adjective

Words related to descendant

Words nearby descendant

Origin of descendant

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH descendant

Examples from the Web for descendant

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (1 of 2)

noun

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (2 of 2)

noun