descendant

²descendant

noun

Definition of DESCENDANT

1

: one descended from another or from a common stock

2

: one deriving directly from a precursor or prototype

Variants of DESCENDANT

descendant also descendent

Examples of DESCENDANT

1. One of the famous inventor's descendants is also an inventor.
2. Many people in this area are descendants of German immigrants.
3. Recent evidence supports the theory that birds are the modern descendants of dinosaurs.
4. The Italian language is one of Latin's descendants.

Origin of DESCENDANT

French & Latin; French descendant, from Late Latin descendent-, descendens, from Latin

First Known Use: 1600

Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity