descent

Definitions

The noun of descend, spelled -scent from the Latin past participle scansus. It carries both of descend's senses: the physical going-down (a steep descent) and the genealogical line traced downward from an ancestor (of Irish descent).

Common Collocations

• 1.rapid descent快速下降
• 2.steep descent陡峭的下坡
• 3.of … descent…血统的
• 4.make a descent下降，降落

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The pilot began the final descent into the valley.

• 2.

  The descent down the mountain was steeper than expected.

• 3.

  She is an American of Italian descent.

Easily Confused

descent vs descend vs dissent — descent is the noun (a steep descent), descend is the verb (the plane descends), and dissent (di-/dis- 'apart') is an unrelated word meaning disagreement. The first two share the scend root; dissent does not.