verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

descend

dih-SEHND

Descend (verb) means to move from a higher place to a lower one; to go down. Example: “They descended the mountain as the storm approached.”

verb

To move from a higher place to a lower one; to go down.

"They descended the mountain as the storm approached."

"The plane began to descend as it neared the airport."

To be traced back to, or come from, an earlier generation or source.

"Many modern languages descend from Latin."

To become worse or fall into a lower, more negative state.

"The debate quickly descended into shouting."

How to use descend

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo go downward, or to trace one's origins back to an ancestor or earlier source.

Common pairings

descend the stairs descend into chaos descend from

Word forms

descended past tense, descend plural, descended plural, descends plural, descends singular, descend singular, descended singular, descendest singular, descendedst singular, descendeth singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “descend” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They _____ the mountain as the storm approached.

Etymology

From Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, "to climb down," from de- + scandere, "to climb."

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for descend

condescend

See all rhymes for descend →

Frequently asked questions

What does “descend” mean?

The word “descend” means to move from a higher place to a lower one; to go down. In plain terms, to go downward, or to trace one's origins back to an ancestor or earlier source.

How do you pronounce “descend”?

“Descend” is pronounced dih-SEHND (/dəˈsɛnd/ in IPA).

How do you use “descend” in a sentence?

Here is “descend” used in a sentence: “They descended the mountain as the storm approached.”

What part of speech is “descend”?

“Descend” is a verb.

Where does the word “descend” come from?

The word “descend” comes from Latin. From Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, "to climb down," from de- + scandere, "to climb.".

Is “descend” a common word?

“Descend” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “descend” have?

“Descend” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move from a higher place to a lower one; to go down.