Decendent vs. Descendant — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on August 26, 2023
"Decendent" is an incorrect spelling; "Descendant" is the correct spelling denoting a person descended from a particular ancestor.

Which is correct: Decendent or Descendant
How to spell Descendant?

Decendent
Incorrect Spelling

Descendant
Correct Spelling
Difference Between Decendent and Descendant
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Visualize a line of ancestry "descending" to the present, which includes "descendant."

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Aug 26, 2023
"Descendant" sounds like "descending ant," emphasizing the 'ant' at the end.

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Aug 26, 2023
Associate "descendant" with ancestry charts, focusing on the lineage.

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Aug 26, 2023
Remember the root word "descend"; drop "d" and add "ant."

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Aug 26, 2023
"Decendent" looks like "decent," but our focus is on lineage, not moral quality.

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Aug 26, 2023
Definitions
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Descendant➦
Someone who is related to a person or group from an earlier generation.
She's a descendant of Abraham Lincoln.

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Descendant➦
An evolved version of a product or concept.
Modern computers are direct descendants of early machines.

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Descendant➦
Something deriving characteristics, qualities, or traits from an earlier form.
The modern bicycle is a descendant of the penny-farthing.

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Descendant➦
One originating or coming from an ancestral stock or source.
She is the direct descendant of the town's founder.

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Descendant➦
An outcome, result, or product of a particular situation.
His novel is a descendant of his early experiences.

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Descendant➦
One whose descent can be traced to a particular individual or group
A descendant of Queen Victoria.
Descendants of a prize-winning horse.

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Descendant➦
Something derived from a prototype or earlier form
Today's bicycles are descendants of the earlier velocipede.

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Descendant➦
In astrology, the point of the ecliptic or the sign of the zodiac that sets in the west at the time of a person's birth or other event.

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Descendant➦
Descending; going down
The elevator resumed its descendant trajectory.

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Descendant➦
Descending from a biological ancestor.
Power in the kingdom is transferred in a descendant manner.

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Descendant➦
One of the progeny of a specified person, at any distance of time or through any number of generations.
The patriarch survived many descendants: five children, a dozen grandchildren, even a great grandchild.

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Descendant➦
(figuratively) A thing that derives directly from a given precursor or source.
This famous medieval manuscript has many descendants.

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Descendant➦
(biology) A later evolutionary type.
Dogs evolved as descendants of early wolves.

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Descendant➦
(linguistics) A language that is descended from another.
English and Scots are the descendants of Old English.

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Descendant➦
(linguistics) A word or form in one language that is descended from a counterpart in an ancestor language.

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Descendant➦
One who descends, as offspring, however remotely; - correlative to ancestor or ascendant.
Our first parents and their descendants.
The descendant of so many kings and emperors.

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May 04, 2022
FAQs
Which vowel is used before Descendant?
Depending on context, any vowel can precede "Descendant."

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Aug 26, 2023
Which preposition is used with Descendant?
"Of" is commonly used, as in "descendant of."

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Aug 26, 2023
What is the singular form of Descendant?
The singular form is "Descendant."

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Why is it called Descendant?
It's called "Descendant" because it denotes someone or something that descends from an ancestor or origin.

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Which article is used with Descendant?
Both "a" and "the" can be used with "Descendant."

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Is the Descendant term a metaphor?
By itself, no, but it can be used metaphorically.

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Which conjunction is used with Descendant?
Any conjunction can be used with "Descendant," depending on the sentence.

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Which determiner is used with Descendant?
Determiners like "this," "that," "a," "an," or "the" can be used.

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Is Descendant a countable noun?
Yes, you can have one, two, or many descendants.

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Is Descendant an abstract noun?
It can be both concrete (referring to a specific person) and abstract (referring to outcomes or results).

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Is Descendant a vowel or consonant?
"Descendant" is a word, not a vowel or consonant.

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Aug 26, 2023
Is the word “Descendant” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Descendant" can be either, depending on its role in a sentence.

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Is Descendant a negative or positive word?
Neutral. Its connotation depends on context.

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How is Descendant used in a sentence?
She discovered that she is a descendant of a famous poet.

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Aug 26, 2023
Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform.
Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.