# descendant

> English word · Adjective · IPA /dɪˈsɛndənt/ · frequency rank #19,575

## Definitions
1. Descending; going down.
2. Descending from a biological ancestor.
3. Proceeding from a figurative ancestor or source.

## Etymology
From Middle English dessendaunte, borrowed from Middle French, from Latin dēscendēns, present participle of descendere, from dē + scandere (“to climb, ascend”).

## Easily confused with
- **descending** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/descendant-vs-descending)
- **descendants** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/descendant-vs-descendants)
- **defendant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defendant-vs-descendant)
- **dependant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dependant-vs-descendant)

## Common misspellings (16)
`ddescendant`, `decsendant`, `desccendant`, `descednant`, `descenadnt`, `descendannt`, `descendantt`, `descendatn`, `descenddant`, `descendnat`, `descenndant`, `descnedant`, `desecndant`, `desscendant`, `dsecendant`, `edscendant`

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