descentnoun
uk/dɪˈsent/us/dɪˈsent/descent noun (RELATION)
[ U ] the state or fact of being related to a particular person or group of people who lived in the past:
She's a woman of mixed/French descent.
They trace their line of descent back to a French duke.
He claims direct descent from Mohammed.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Family: ancestors & descendants
- ancestor
- ancestry
- be in the/sb's blood idiom
- blood
- blood is thicker than water idiom
- bloodline
- descendant
- family tree
- forbear
- forebear
- forefathers
- genealogy
- generation
- heraldry
- lineage
- pedigree
- run
- run in the family idiom
- stock
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descent noun (ARRIVAL)
[ U ] an occasion when a group of people arrive somewhere, usually suddenly or unexpectedly:
We weren't prepared for the descent of thousands of journalists on the town.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Arrivals and departures
- admittance
- advent
- approach
- arr
- arrival
- check
- check in
- check sth in
- connection
- dep
- departure
- destination
- entry
- eta
- going
- inflow
- influx
- invasion
- landfall
- outflow
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descent noun (POSITION)
[ C or U ] a movement down:
The plane began (to make) its final descent into the airport.
There is a steep descent (= way down, such as a path) to the village below.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Moving upwards
- arise
- ascend
- ascent
- be on an upward/downward trajectory idiom
- bristle
- clamber
- climb
- come
- come up
- heave
- levitate
- pull
- rear
- rise
- scale
- scramble
- shinny
- soar
- take off
- trajectory
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descent noun (NEGATIVE CHANGE)
[ S or U ] a change in someone's behaviour, or in a situation, from good to bad:
His descent into crime was rapid.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Deteriorating and making worse
- a step backwards idiom
- a turn of the screw idiom
- add
- afford
- aggravate
- backslide
- compound
- decline
- degrade
- dog
- downgrade
- downhill
- exacerbate
- fan the flames idiom
- retrograde
- retrogress
- run yourself down
- seed
- slip
- slippery slope
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