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
1
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."
"We descended the narrow stairs slowly, holding tightly to the rail."
2
To be traced back to, or come from, an earlier generation or source.
"Many modern languages descend from Latin."
"She is descended from a long line of fishermen."
"The tradition descends from an old harvest festival in the valley."
3
To become worse or fall into a lower, more negative state.
"The debate quickly descended into shouting."
"The friendly chat descended into an argument about who should pay."
"After midnight the quiet evening descended into chaos."
How to use descend
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- descends
- Third person singular
- descends
- Past tense
- descended
- Archaic forms
- descendest, descendedst, descendeth
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."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for descend
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.
