descent
Pronunciation: [dɪˈsɛnt]
Context: “movement”
(noun) the act of going down from a higher place to a lower place. Think of when you walk down a hill or take the stairs down to a lower floor.
Example
The descent from the mountain was smooth and enjoyable.
Example
The descent from the high dive scared her because she didn't want to jump.
Example
What was the hardest part of your descent down the hill?
Context: “family”
(noun) the way in which people are related through family or ancestors. It’s like when you learn about your grandparents and great-grandparents and where they came from.
Example
She is proud of her descent from a long line of artists.
Example
He did not feel a sense of descent from the royal family, even though some people said he was related.
Example
Do you know much about your family's descent and where they came from?
Context: “behavior/character”
(noun) the idea of moving toward becoming worse or less organized. It's like if a group of friends used to be nice and now they act badly.
Example
The descent of the animal community was troubling, as they were losing their habitats.
Example
The team's descent into bad habits was surprising after their earlier successes.
Example
Have you noticed a descent in quality in the products we buy lately?