noun
descendant
dih-SEHN-duhnt
noun
1
A person related to someone who lived in an earlier generation, such as a child, grandchild, or later relative.
"She is a direct descendant of one of the town's founders."
2
Something that develops from, or is a later version of, an earlier thing.
"Modern smartphones are descendants of much bulkier early mobile phones."
How to Use Descendant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone (or something) that comes after and traces back to an earlier ancestor or origin.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
direct descendant
living descendants
Word Forms
descendants plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “descendant”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She is a direct _____ of one of the town's founders.
Etymology
From Middle French descendant, present participle of descendre, "to descend."