# condescend

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˌkɒndɪˈsɛnd/ · frequency rank #70,574

## Definitions
1. To come down or go down; to descend.
2. To come down from a superior position and do something; to deign; (with a negative connotation) to stoop.
3. To treat someone as though inferior; to talk down to someone; to patronize.
4. Chiefly followed by on or upon: to go into detail; to particularize, to specify.
5. To agree to something; to accede, to assent, to consent; also, to reach an agreement.
6. To give way or yield in a deferential manner; to be amenable or compliant.
7. To graciously give; to vouchsafe.
8. To reach a certain point; to settle on.
9. To secretly make plans, usually to bring about a bad or illegal result; to conspire, to plot.
10. To treat (someone) as though inferior; to talk down to (someone); to patronize.
11. Often preceded by the dummy pronoun it: to agree to (something); to consent.

## Etymology
From Middle English condescenden, condescendre (“to deign, condescend; to accede graciously; to agree; to agree to, give consent; to make a concession, yield; etc.”), from Old French condescendre (“to descend, go down; to agree or assent to”) (modern French condescendre), from Ecclesiastical Latin condēscendere, the present active infinitive of condēscendō (“to stoop down; to condescend”), from Latin con- (prefix denoting a bringing together of several objects) + dēscendō (“to come or go down, descend; to stoop down”) (from dē- (prefix denoting reversal or undoing) + scandō (“to ascend, mount; to clamber”) (from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to climb, scale; to dart; to jump; etc.”))).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/condescend