i Register
In some senses, descendant is marked as figuratively. Watch for register when choosing this word.
descendant
/dɪˈsɛndənt/
noun 5adj 3
Collocations
4(noun.)
ADJ
direct, lineal
My grandmother's direct descendants include her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
collateral | immediate
distant, remote
My grandmother discovered she was a remote descendant of a famous Victorian explorer.
Definitions
adj
1
Descending; going down.
The elevator resumed its descendant trajectory.
Eagle descendant, or descending. See DESCENDANT, and Pl. 22, fig. 6. Eagle descendant, displayed. See Pl. 22, fig. 7. Eagle displayed, recursant. See DISPLAYED RECURSANT, and Pl. 22, […]
2
Descending from a biological ancestor.
Power in the kingdom is transferred in a descendant manner.
Pitiable sportster, / To choose thy prey so humbly, to seduce / A beggar wench who hath not the high pride / Descendant still from kingly ancestors, / To keep her royal place.
3
Proceeding from a figurative ancestor or source.
noun
1
One of the progeny of a specified person, at any distance of time or through any number of generations.
Meronyms: issue, line, progeny; family; clan
The patriarch survived many descendants: five children, a dozen grandchildren, even a great grandchild.
2
A thing that derives directly from a given precursor or source.
This famous medieval manuscript has many descendants.
3
A later evolutionary type.
Dogs evolved as descendants of early wolves.
4
A language that is descended from another.
English and Scots are the descendants of Old English.
5
A word or form in one language that is descended from a counterpart in an ancestor language.
The direct descendant of this form is the Slavic aorist: Sb.-Cr. nȍsī, dȍnosī.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
noun — a person considered as descended from some ancestor
adjective — proceeding by descent from an ancestor
adjective — going or coming down
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
The elevator resumed its descendant trajectory.
Wiktionary02
Eagle descendant, or descending. See DESCENDANT, and Pl. 22, fig. 6. Eagle descendant, displayed. See Pl. 22, fig. 7. Eagle displayed, recursant. See DISPLAYED RECURSANT, and Pl. 22, […]
Wiktionary03
Azure, surmounting a cloud argent, an American eagle descendant, wings endorsed proper, between his beak four lightning streaks, […]
Wiktionary04
Meronyms: issue, line, progeny; family; clan
Wiktionary05
The patriarch survived many descendants: five children, a dozen grandchildren, even a great grandchild.
Wiktionary06
This famous medieval manuscript has many descendants.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
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