descent

nouncommon in dialogue

United Kingdom//dɪˈsɛnt//
United States//dəˈsɛnt//
United States//dɪˈsɛnt//
United States//diˈsɛnt//

An instance of descending; act of coming down.

noun

1
An instance of descending; act of coming down.
We climbed the mountain with difficulty, but the descent was easier.
The descent continues, still more steeply to Dundee (Tay Bridge), and approaching from the bridge itself this sharp descent gives the curious appearance that the station is below the level of the firth.
To the north the towering scree-strewn slopes of Saddleback begin to draw nearer as we start the abrupt descent towards Keswick.
The next one surrendered his bike, only for that, too, to give him a second flat as he started the descent.
2
A way down.
We had difficulty in finding the correct descent.
3
A sloping passage or incline.
The descent into the cavern was wet and slippery.
4
Lineage or hereditary derivation.
Our guide was of Welsh descent.
5
A drop to a lower status or condition; decline.
After that, the holiday went into a steep descent.
6
A falling upon or invasion.
7
A particular extension of the idea of gluing.

Etymology

From Middle English and Anglo-Norman descente, from Anglo-Norman descendre (“to descend”); see descend. Compare ascent, ascend. Doublet of desant.

Forms

plural: descents

descend · Senses relating to moving from a higher to a lower position.…descendant · Descending; going down.descending · Moving or sloping downwards.

descent · An instance of descending; act of coming down.

describe · To represent in words.description · A sketch or account of anything in words; a portraiture or…desert · A barren area of land or desolate terrain, especially one…

The neighbouring pages — Alphabetical order follows the rules of the language, not byte values: an accent decides only between two otherwise identical words, and Spanish files Ñ as a letter of its own.