# descendant

/dɪˈsɛndənt/ (US) · /dɪsˈɛndənt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/descendant
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a person who is related to someone from the past, like a grandchild or great-grandchild. It can also describe a thing that developed from an earlier version.

For teachers: a person, animal, or plant that is genetically related to an ancestor. In broader contexts, refers to something that has evolved or developed from an earlier prototype or source.

## Examples

- She is a direct descendant of a famous explorer.
- Many modern languages are the direct descendants of Latin, sharing much of its grammar and vocabulary.
- The museum features several artifacts that are the stylistic descendants of ancient pottery techniques, showing how artistic traditions survived through centuries of migration.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is a descend of the king" but "He is a descendant of the king" — Learners often confuse the noun 'descendant' with the verb 'descend'.

## Usage notes

- Often paired with the preposition 'of' to indicate the ancestor or source.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.