de·scen·dant
di-ˈsen-dənt 
variants
or less commonly descendent
1
: moving or directed downward
listed in descendant order
2
: proceeding from an ancestor or source
variants
or less commonly descendent
1
: one originating or coming from an ancestral stock or source : one descended from another
descendants of King David
a descendant of an ancient grass
2
: one deriving directly from a precursor or prototype
Italian and other descendants of Latin
Synonyms
Examples of descendant in a Sentence
Adjective
the descendant branches of a weeping willow
Noun
One of the famous inventor's descendants is also an inventor.
Many people in this area are descendants of German immigrants.
Recent evidence supports the theory that birds are the modern descendants of dinosaurs.
The Italian language is one of Latin's descendants.
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Hunt, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024
The integrative approach of the study led to the exciting identification of the exact event that triggered the signals: the Dickson Fjord rockslide, megatsunami and the descendant waves that persisted.
—Carly Miller, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
Israeli officials have rejected UNRWA’s definition of which Palestinians are eligible for refugee status, arguing that descendants of the 1948 refugees do not qualify and thus don’t have the right to return to their ancestral homes in what is now Israel.
—Nadeen Ebrahim and Salma Arafa, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for descendant 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Fitzjames is the second expedition member to be identified from descendant DNA.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024
The integrative approach of the study led to the exciting identification of the exact event that triggered the signals: the Dickson Fjord rockslide, megatsunami and the descendant waves that persisted.
—Carly Miller, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Noun
Aid groups have warned that there is no immediate replacement for UNRWA, which provides education, healthcare and emergency aid to millions of Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation and their descendants.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
Israeli officials have rejected UNRWA’s definition of which Palestinians are eligible for refugee status, arguing that descendants of the 1948 refugees do not qualify and thus don’t have the right to return to their ancestral homes in what is now Israel.
—Nadeen Ebrahim and Salma Arafa, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for descendant
Dictionary Entries Near descendant
Cite this Entry
“Descendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/descendant. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share