Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One whose descent can be traced to a particular individual or group.
  • noun Something derived from a prototype or earlier form.
  • noun In astrology, the point of the ecliptic or the sign of the zodiac that sets in the west at the time of a person's birth or other event.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In geology, a topographic feature carved from the mass beneath an older topographic form which has been removed.
  • See descendent.
  • noun An individual proceeding from an ancestor in any degree; issue; offspring, near or remote.
  • noun In astrology, the descending or western horizon or cusp of the seventh house.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Descendent.
  • noun One who descends, as offspring, however remotely; -- correlative to ancestor or ascendant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective That or who descends from a biological ancestor.
  • adjective That or who proceeds from a figurative ancestor or source.
  • noun literally One who is the progeny a specified person, at any distance of time or through any number of generations.
  • noun figuratively A thing that derives directly from a given precursor or source.
  • noun biology A later evolutionary type.
  • noun linguistics A language that is descended from another.
  • noun linguistics A word or form in one language that is descended from a counterpart in an ancestor language.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a person considered as descended from some ancestor or race
  • adjective going or coming down
  • adjective proceeding by descent from an ancestor

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English dessendaunte, from Middle French, from Latin dēscendēns, present participle of descendere, from + scandere ("to climb, ascend").

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Examples

  • In the proto-Ruvu era and in descendant Ruvu languages, particular words identified women who played a part in instructional and birthing needs.

    Societies, Religion, and History: Central East Tanzanians and the World They Created, c. 200 BCE to 1800 CE 2008

  • The inhabitants of Nanagada and Aztlan are descendant from the Caribbean, now occupying lands each side of the Wicked Highs that are cut off from each other except for the Mafolie Pass.

    Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell Mark 2008

  • It is commonly associated in descendant languages of proto-Kaskazi, including Ruvu languages, with the idea of protecting with amulet medicine that created a defensive barrier against ill-intended sorcery or physical incursion. 146 In the colonial period, * - kinga medicine was instrumental in protecting Zaramo people from witchcraft.

    Societies, Religion, and History: Central East Tanzanians and the World They Created, c. 200 BCE to 1800 CE 2008

  • For those of you that are Black but not descendant from the Middle Passage, the everything for you lies in the simple fact that you are Black.

    2008 October : Law is Cool 2008

  • John Fraser, is an accomplished descendant from the early days of journalists.

    Personal Responsibility and the Media 1994

  • The author's revered mother was a descendant from the latter venerable name, united with that of the brave and erudite race of Adamson, of farther north.

    The Scottish Chiefs 1875

  • David Alroy is represented as the last male descendant from the house of David, and the “Prince of the Captivity” among the eastern Jews in the twelfth century, resident at

    A Review of 'Alroy' 1833

  • Price above 20 SMA and CCI cutting to the upside 0.00 line confirm some upside movements in the next hours, thus pair needs to break above 95.60 short term descendant trend line to extend the upside movement just above 96.05 zone.

    FXstreet.com 2009

  • Above that level, next strong resistance zone will come at the 98.70 zone, a longer term descendant trend line.

    FXstreet.com 2009

  • It is a direct descendant from the “Uk” or “Wuk” (ounce) of the hieroglyphs (See Sharpe’s Egypt or any other Manual) and first appeared in Europe as the Greek {Greek}.

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

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  • Perhaps the ant's downward spiral into depression can be traced to genes inherited from its ant-cestors.

    December 30, 2009