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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | descendre, from Latin scandere 'to climb' |
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de‧scend
1 [intransitive and transitive] formal to move from a higher level to a lower one [≠ ascend]: 
Our plane started to descend.I heard his footsteps descending the stairs. ! It is more usual to say go down or come down.
Our plane started to descend.I heard his footsteps descending the stairs.2 [intransitive] literaryTMC if darkness, silence, a feeling etc descends, it becomes dark etc or you start to feel something, especially suddenly
descend on/upon/over Total silence descended on the room. An air of gloom descended over the party headquarters.
Total silence descended on the room.An air of gloom descended over the party headquarters.3 numbers, choices etc that are in descending order are arranged from the highest or most important to the lowest or least important : The hotels are listed in descending order of price.
in descending order (of something)
The hotels are listed in descending order of price.descend from somebody/something
phrasal verb1 to be related to a person or group who lived a long time ago : She claims to be descended from Abraham Lincoln. The people here are descended from the Vikings.
be descended from somebody
SSFShe claims to be descended from Abraham Lincoln.The people here are descended from the Vikings.2 to have developed from something that existed in the past : ideas that descend from those of ancient philosophers
ideas that descend from those of ancient philosophersdescend on/upon somebody/something
phrasal verbMillions of tourists descend on the area every year.descend to something
phrasal verbSurely he wouldn't descend to such a mean trick? descend to somebody's level (=behave or speak as badly as someone else) Other people may gossip, but don't descend to their level.
Other people may gossip, but don't descend to their level.