descendant

American  

[dih-sen-duhnt] / dɪˈsɛn dənt /

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.

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adjective

1. descending; descendent.

descendant ¹ British  

/ 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

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adjective

1. a variant spelling of descendent

Descendant ² British  

/ dɪˈsɛndənt /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of descendant

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

Esu Bulus Yerima Pada, a descendant of a long line of traditional rulers who became chief of Maitama-Kubwa in 2001, says the government also promised documents confirming residents' legal ownership of their new land.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Another day this month, Lurie disclosed a contribution from Google and one from a descendant of a local 20th-century dehydrated-potato-product fortune.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

A descendant of Turkish and Ashkenazi Jews, Neil Sedaka was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on March 13, 1939.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Ferrer, who has been living in exile in Miami since last October, welcomes any negotiations between the Cuban government and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio -- himself a descendant of Cuban immigrants.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Long ago, Hazel had been told that a descendant of Neptune would save her.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• heir
• offspring
• scion