plural
descents
plural
descents
Britannica Dictionary definition of DESCENT
formal
1
[
count
]
:
the act or process of descending: such as
a
:
the act or process of going from a higher to a lower place or level
—
usually singular
-
The climbers were faced with a dangerous
descent
in bad weather.
-
the submarine's
descent
-
After only an hour of flight, the pilot announced our
descent
.
—
opposite
ascent
b
:
the act or process or changing to a worse state or condition
2
[
count
]
:
a way of going down something
:
a downward slope, path, etc.
3
[
noncount
]
:
the people in your family who lived before you were born
:
your ancestors
-
Many people in this area are of German
descent
. [=
ancestry
]
-
They claim to be
of royal descent
. [=they say that their ancestors were kings, queens, etc.]