How to Pronounce Descendant

To pronounce "descendant", say DESC-end-ant — 3 syllables, IPA /dɪˈsɛndənt/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

descendant

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Accent

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3

Syllables

10

Letters

/dɪˈsɛndənt/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “descendant”

"descendant" has 3 syllables: desc-end-ant. It rhymes with resplendent and transcendent, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: descendent — easy to mix up when writing.

What does descendant mean?

noun

  1. One who is the progeny of a specified person, at any distance of time or through any number of generations.

    “The patriarch survived many descendants: five children, a dozen grandchildren, even a great grandchild.”

  2. A thing that derives directly from a given precursor or source.

    “This famous medieval manuscript has many descendants.”

adjective

  1. Descending from a biological ancestor.
  2. Proceeding from a figurative ancestor or source.

Synonyms

afterbearoffspringrelativescion

Antonyms

ancestorascendantforebearascendentascending

Words that rhyme with descendant

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

resplendenttranscendentdependentindependentascendantpendantattendantsplendentinterdependentdescendentsuperintendentsuperintendant

Related words

descendingdescendentdescentdownblacksinkingsecondaryranking

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "descendant"?▾

"Descendant" has 3 syllables: desc · end · ant.

What is the IPA transcription of "descendant"?▾

The IPA transcription of "descendant" is /dɪˈsɛndənt/.

What does "descendant" mean?▾

Descendant: One who is the progeny of a specified person, at any distance of time or through any number of generations.

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