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 descendants

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 descendants (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 descendants (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 descendants

British Dictionary definitions for descendants (1 of 2)

noun

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for descendants (2 of 2)

noun