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View synonyms for

descent

[dih-sent]

noun

  1. the act, process, or fact of moving from a higher to a lower position.

    Synonyms: ,
  2. a downward inclination or slope.

    Synonyms: , , ,
  3. a passage or stairway leading down.

  4. derivation from an ancestor; lineage; extraction.

    Synonyms: , ,
  5. any passing from higher to lower in degree or state; decline.

    Synonyms: , , , , ,
  6. a sudden raid or hostile attack.

    Synonyms: , , ,
  7. Law.transmission of real property by intestate succession.



descent

/ ɪˈɛԳ /

noun

  1. the act of descending

  2. a downward slope or inclination

  3. a passage, path, or way leading downwards

  4. derivation from an ancestor or ancestral group; lineage

  5. (in genealogy) a generation in a particular lineage

  6. a decline or degeneration

  7. a movement or passage in degree or state from higher to lower

  8. (often foll by on) a sudden and overwhelming arrival or attack

  9. property law (formerly) the transmission of real property to the heir on an intestacy

“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
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Other Word Forms

  • predescent noun
  • redescent noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of descent1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French descente, derivative of descendre “to come down,” modeled on such pairs as vente, vendre; descend
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Another possible outcome could be regime collapse followed by Iran's descent into chaos.

From

To take part in the money laundering ring, the release said that Song recruited around 15 people living in the Los Angeles area, mostly of Chinese descent and some who were in the country unlawfully.

From

In the decade since his descent down a gilded escalator — and emergence as the most dominant and consequential political figure of the 21st century — Trump has proven himself a peerless master of distraction and deflection.

From

Nacua, who also is of Hawaiian descent, is expected to be warmly embraced by the locals during some activities that will be open to the public.

From

“I knew the scholarship existed, but not that I was going to get it. I just focused on doing my best,” recalled Vallejo, who is a second-generation student of Mexican descent.

From

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Related Words

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When To Use

’s the difference between descent, dissent, and decent?

Descent is a noun that means the act of moving downward (descending), a downward movement, or downward movement in general. Dissent can be a noun meaning disagreement, as in I voiced my dissent, or a verb meaning to disagree, as in The judge is expected to dissent. Decent is an adjective that means adequate or suitable, as in a decent meal, or good or respectable, as in a decent person.Descent and dissent are pronounced exactly the same. Perhaps the best way to remember the difference between them is to think about what related words mean and how they’re spelled. Words related to descent involve movement and are spelled with sc, including descend, ascent, ascension, and transcend. Words related to dissent involve agreement or disagreement and end with -sent, including assent and consent.Despite their similar spelling, descent and decent are pronounced differently. In descent, the emphasis is on the -scent part of the word, with the first part pronounced like dih. In decent, the emphasis is on the first part of the word, which is pronounced like dee.So how can you remember which one gets the s? Dropping the s is the decent thing to do, but you should pick it back up for your descent. (And if you dissent, pick up two ’s).Here’s an example of descent, dissent, and decent used correctly in a sentence.Example: There was dissent among the climbers about when they should make the descent, but they decided to do it while the weather was still decent.

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descensionDeschamps