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

The original film's sequel - Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh - set three years later sees Todd's iconic lead appear again in New Orleans, encountering a descendant of his daughter.

From BBC

Meanwhile a descendant of one of the lighthouse keepers said he was delighted by the discovery.

From BBC

Not only had he worked for Giuliani in City Hall but his wife, Margaret Hoover, is a Republican descendant of Herbert Hoover and the host of the revived PBS show Firing Line.

From Slate

And now KP.3.3’s descendant, XEC, has the same little mutation and is surging in the U.S. and elsewhere.

From Salon

Safieddine, like his cousin Nasrallah, wears the black turban declaring him a descendant of the prophet Muhammad.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• heir
• offspring
• scion