descendant

1 of 2

adjective

de·​scen·​dant di-ˈsen-dənt 

variants or less commonly descendent

1

: moving or directed downward

listed in descendant order

2

: proceeding from an ancestor or source

descendant

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly descendent

1

: one originating or coming from an ancestral stock or source : one descended from another

descendants of King David

a descendant of an ancient grass

2

: one deriving directly from a precursor or prototype

Italian and other descendants of Latin

Synonyms

Adjective

• weeping
• descending
• falling
• bowing
• hanging
• dangling

Examples of descendant in a Sentence

Adjective

the descendant branches of a weeping willow

Noun

One of the famous inventor's descendants is also an inventor.

Many people in this area are descendants of German immigrants.

Recent evidence supports the theory that birds are the modern descendants of dinosaurs.

The Italian language is one of Latin's descendants.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Repatriation is the process of returning ancestral human remains and important objects to descendant populations. —Christopher Wolff, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2025

Fitzjames is the second expedition member to be identified from descendant DNA. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024

Noun

Michael Connor, a descendant of Brevard, also would like to see the chapel restored as a historical site. —Damenica Ellis, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2025

There’s a brief but instructive moment in Brown’s film when the director interviews a descendant of a prominent slave-owning family. —Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English dessendaunte, from Anglo-French descendant, from Latin descendent-, descendens, present participle of descendere — see descend

Noun

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

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for descendant

• appendant
• ascendant
• attendant
• defendant
• dependant
• dependent
• descendent
• intendant
• resplendent
• transcendent
• codefendant
• independent

Kids Definition

descendant

1 of 2 adjective

de·​scend·​ant

variants also descendent

di-ˈsen-dənt

1

: moving or directed downward

2

: proceeding from an ancestor or source

descendant

2 of 2 noun

variants also descendent

1

: one descended from another or from a common stock

2

: one coming directly from an earlier and usually similar type or individual

Legal Definition

descendant

noun

de·​scen·​dant

variants also descendent

di-ˈsen-dənt

: a blood relative of a later generation