descent
descent Lexical Profile
descent Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An act or instance of moving downwards, dropping, or falling to a lower level.
"The pilot announced that the aircraft had begun its final descent toward the airport."
The origin or background of a person in terms of family, nationality, or ancestry.
"Many residents in the coastal town are of Irish and Scottish descent."
A downward slope, incline, or path leading to a lower place.
"The hikers carefully navigated the steep, rocky descent into the canyon."
A gradual sink or deterioration into a worse moral, mental, or social condition.
"The novel chronicles the protagonist's tragic descent into madness and isolation."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'descent' (a downward movement or family lineage) with its homophone 'dissent' (a strong difference of opinion or disagreement).
• Rhymes for descent
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'descente', derived from the Latin verb 'descendere' ('to climb down'), formed from 'de-' ('down') and 'scandere' ('to climb').