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

In Lillie’s second mystery, tensions rise between Rhode Island’s Narragansett tribe and the Founders Society’s Mayflower descendants after 300-year-old sacred remains are unearthed, then vanish from a Society campground.

From Los Angeles Times

Nearly 130 years later pressure from the king's descendants as well as the government of the Indian Ocean nation has opened the way for the skull's return.

From BBC

As Baron writes, “This romance blazed before it turned to embers, and it produced children, for we — the first humans who might actually sail to Mars — are its descendants.”

From Los Angeles Times

He added: "I got really excited when I started to read about it and how it tied into the Chancery case, how it tied into the Shakespeare family and the last of Shakespeare's direct descendants."

From BBC

They have used detailed prisoner records from the time, historical sketches and, where possible, photos of the prisoners' modern day descendants to create a profile of what they may have looked like.

From BBC

Related Words

• heir 
• offspring 
• scion