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• descendant
  descendant

  noun

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

  noun

  astrology the point on the ecliptic lying directly opposite the Ascendant

descendant

American  

[dih-sen-duhnt] / dɪˈsɛn dənt /

noun

• descendants
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• descendants
  plural

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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

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Explanation

The word descendant refers to something that has come down. For example, everyone is a descendant, or the end of a line of ancestors, just as modern art is a descendant of past art that contributed to its style and technique. The word descendant comes from the word "descend" which means to move in a downward direction. Note that the word can also be spelled with an "-ent" ending. Philosopher Herbert Spencer wrote, “The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future.” Have you ever wondered what your descendants will know about you? Perhaps you could leave them your peanut butter and banana sandwich recipe.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

descendant Descendant descendants

Signatories include a descendant of inventor James Watt, and members of reggae bands Steel Pulse and UB40.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

In 2021, DNA from a living descendant allowed researchers to identify John Gregory, Engineer of HMS Erebus.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026

"I am a descendant of the Urartians, their grandson," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Goode’s third, “Monsters of God,” premiering Thursday on HBO, is both a direct descendant and forges a new path.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

She rushed in with an explanation, “I’ll bet you helped some rich Italian nobleman or some descendant of Michelangelo’s to escape, and he gave you the sketch out of his undying gratitude.”

From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg

Perhaps more significant was the 2018 publication of “Engaging Descendant Communities in the Interpretation of Slavery,” a guide for museums willing to build relationships with descendant communities to interpret more inclusive histories for the public.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 29, 2022

DeGioia said he would “engage key leaders in our Georgetown, Descendant and Jesuit communities and our faculty, board, and student leadership to chart a path forward”.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 15, 2019

Descendant of Thieves: Specializing in shirts and knit tops, the staples designed by Dres Ladro and Matteo Maniatty carry a whiff of their Mediterranean heritage.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2017

Descendant native communities, by contrast, might object to the political implications of having their ancestors’ jewelry, hunting tools, or kitchenware collected as primitive curiosities.

From Slate ● Jun. 12, 2015

O King, Descendant of Rama! this outrage cannot be.

From The ninth vibration and other stories by L. Adams (Lily Adams) Beck

As development progresses, their descendants gradually become more specialized, eventually forming structures such as the nervous system, skin, blood, and eyes.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

On top of this individuals can get an additional transferable allowance for a family home of £175k each when it is left to children or other direct descendants.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Derenoncourt has found that Black Americans who migrated north to growing cities in the 20th century achieved economic gains—but their descendants experienced increasing school segregation and incarceration rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Aegon’s descendants revere the Conqueror so highly that he has numerous prominent namesakes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

She was too old then and living on borrowed time to repeat the miracle of the little candy animals, and none of her descendants had inherited her strength.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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Related Words

• heir
• offspring
• scion

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