descendant

[ dih-sen-duhnt ]

/ dɪˈsɛn dənt /

See synonyms for: descendant / descendants 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.

QUIZZES

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We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

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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. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for descendant

Over the next few years, the breakthrough received widespread media coverage, and when Buri’s hornless descendant graced the cover of Wired magazine in April 2019, it did so as the ostensible face of the livestock industry’s future.
Biotechnology Could Change the Cattle Industry. Will It Succeed?|Dyllan Furness|August 16, 2020|Singularity Hub
That is, the code of life can now be disguised as a full-fledged viral enemy to train the protein descendants of that code.
How Fake Viruses Can Help Us Make the Best Possible Vaccines|Shelly Fan|July 7, 2020|Singularity Hub
The size and spacing of the 106-million-year-old tracks suggest the crocodylomorph was 2 to 3 meters long — a fearsome predator similar in size to its modern descendants, researchers report June 11 in Scientific Reports.
Fossil footprints show some crocodile ancestors walked on two legs|Carolyn Gramling|June 12, 2020|Science News
The story (and some DNA evidence) goes, the locals are the descendants of a band of Roman soldiers from 36 B.C.
The Chinese Town Descended From Romans?|Nina Strochlic|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Washington was a passionate advocate for an intensely practical education for ex-slaves and their descendants.
College Must Be More Than Just a Classy Trade School|Michael S. Roth|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The discussion of reparations for descendants of slaves saw some chatter this year after a piece in The Atlantic.
Sherman Alexie on His New Film, the Redskins, and Why It's OK to Laugh at His Work|William O’Connor|August 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What this means is that the idea of popes as descendants of St. Peter is about controlling bishops, not churchgoers.
Who Really Put the Pope in Charge?|Candida Moss|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For their part, the Moroccans and descendants of other immigrants in the Netherlands and in Europe cannot help but worry.
Dutch Xenophobe Geert Wilders Echoes Goebbels’ Infamous 1943 Speech|Nadette De Visser|March 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The man lived, and his descendants are among the principal inhabitants of the town of Stratton to this day.
Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall|Robert S. Hawker
In fact, their descendants to the present day, even in England, entertain the same ideas.
William the Conqueror|Jacob Abbott
Lancaiach is still in possession of the Prichard family, descendants of Col. Prichard.
Notes and Queries, Number 80, May 10, 1851|Various
They hold their own before the descendants of the conquistadores, who conquered the New World only to be conquered by it.
The Aldine, Vol. 5, No. 1., January, 1872|Various
The Boers are the descendants of those pioneers who, for various reasons, left the Cape Colony between the years 1834-39.
In the Shadow of Death|P. H. Kritzinger and R. D. McDonald

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

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descendant

noun

adjective

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Origin of descendant

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH descendant

Example sentences from the Web for descendant

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (1 of 2)

noun

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (2 of 2)

noun

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

descendant

noun

adjective

QUIZZES

DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!

Origin of descendant

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH descendant

Words related to descendant

Example sentences from the Web for descendant

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (1 of 2)

noun

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for descendant (2 of 2)

noun