Descent means the act of going down from a higher place to a lower one. It can also mean a person’s family origin (ancestry or lineage). In writing, it may mean a decline in value or condition. In aviation, it is an aircraft’s move to lower altitude.
If you searched “what does descent mean”, you probably saw it in a sentence and felt unsure. Don’t worry, this word is simple once you see it in real examples.
Descent can mean going down (like a plane coming in to land), it can mean family origin (like “of African descent”), and it can also mean a fall in value or condition (like a market drop).
You may even see it in religion as “descent into hell”, or in stories as “descent into madness” or chaos.
In this 2026 guide, you’ll get clear meanings, short examples, and the easy fix for descent vs decent and descent vs dissent.
Quick answer
Descent most often means going down. For example: “The plane began its descent.”
It can also mean ancestry / lineage / genealogy: “She is of African descent.”
And it can mean decline (a step down in value or state).
Descent as Downward Movement
This is the most common meaning: downward movement.
Examples
- “The hikers began their descent.”
- “The road has a steep descent.”
- “The plane began its descent.”
Common phrases
controlled descent
steep descent
slow descent
What does descent mean in English?
In plain words, descent is a noun that points to “down.” It can be:
- a real move down (stairs, hills, planes)
- a family “line” (your roots)
- a fall in state (a decline)
That is why the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) lists many uses for the word, including older ones. (It’s a deep history dictionary, so it covers a lot.)
If you want the most common uses today, these sources are a strong start:
- Merriam-Webster (downward movement, ancestry, decline)
- Cambridge Dictionary (movement down + related to people in the past)
- Oxford (going down + family origins)
Descent = downward movement
This is the core dictionary meaning: a movement down.
Easy examples
- “We started our descent after the photo break.”
- “The road has a steep descent.”
- “The plane began its final descent.”
Words that often go with it
These are common, natural pairings:
- steep descent
- slow descent
- controlled descent
- final descent
Simple test: If “going down” fits, descent fits.
Descent meaning in family (origin, lineage, ancestry, genealogy)
Now the second big meaning: family background.
Cambridge explains this sense as being related to a person or group from the past, and it gives examples like of African or European descent.
Merriam-Webster also lists “one’s line of ancestors” (birth/lineage).
Oxford notes this as “a person’s family origins.”
Common pattern: “of ___ descent”
- “She is of African descent.”
- “He is of European descent.”
Descent vs ancestry (quick clarity)
People also search descent vs ancestry.
They are close:
- Ancestry = your ancestors, your family origin.
- Descent = your lineage / origin, often used in bios: “of ___ descent.”
Where “genealogy” fits
Genealogy is the study of family lines. In genealogy writing, “descent” can mean the line from an ancestor down to later family members. (This is why it shows up in family charts and history writing.)
Financial meaning of Descent: when prices fall (market, economy, value)
In money news, descent can mean a decline in value. Think: prices move down, so value moves down too. Merriam-Webster even lists this sense as “a downward step (as in station or value): decline.”
Here is useful “number” language that investors and reporters use:
- Correction: a drop of 10% or more from a recent high.
- Bear market: a drop of 20% or more.
Simple example (easy math)
- Price starts at 100
- Falls to 90 → 10% drop (often called a correction)
- Falls to 80 → 20% drop (often called a bear market)
How writers talk about it (NYSE-style headlines)
On the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and in market news, writers often use words like fall or slide when prices go down. “Descent” can be used too, but it sounds more dramatic.
Good sentence examples
- “The stock saw a sharp descent after earnings.”
- “The index continued its slow descent this week.”
- “Analysts warned of an economic descent if inflation stays high.”
Tip: Use decline for a calm tone. Use descent when you want a stronger tone.
Descent meaning in aviation (aircraft descent)
In flying, aircraft descent means the part of flight when the plane goes to a lower height.
You may hear:
- “We are starting our descent.”
- “Prepare for landing.”
Key aviation terms (simple)
- controlled descent: a normal, planned move down
- descent rate: how fast the plane is going down
- emergency descent: a fast move down to reach a safer height
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) includes a clear plain-English description in the Airplane Flying Handbook: an emergency descent is done to go down as fast as possible to a lower height (or for an emergency landing).
Descent as decline (money, markets, value)
Descent can also mean a decline, a step down in level, value, or rank. Merriam-Webster lists this “downward step… : decline.”
This is why you may see phrases like:
- Market descent
- Economic descent
- Price descent
These are not the most common everyday phrases, but they can appear in dramatic market writing, where “down” words are used to show a fall.
Why people mention the New York Stock Exchange
Financial writers often talk about price moves around big markets like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The NYSE itself traces its roots to the Buttonwood Agreement (May 17, 1792).
You do not need the NYSE to define “descent,” but it is a real-world place where “up and down” language is used all the time.
Descent into hell meaning (religion) + Harrowing of Hell
Some readers search descent into hell meaning because they see it in Christian texts.
In Catholic teaching, the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that Scripture uses “hell” (Sheol/Hades) as the “abode of the dead,” and it says Christ “went down” there, not to free the damned, but to free the just who came before.
The Holy See also publishes an ancient Holy Saturday text titled “The Lord’s descent into hell.”
This theme is often called the Harrowing of Hell in Christian tradition and art. Older reference works also discuss it under “Descent into Hell.”
Literary and figurative uses (descent into chaos, madness, darkness)
Writers love “descent” because it makes a strong picture in the mind.
Common phrases:
- descent into chaos
- descent into madness
- descent into darkness
These phrases mean a slow fall into a worse state (a decline). This matches the “decline” sense shown in major dictionaries.
Simple examples
- “The story shows his descent into madness.”
- “The town faced a descent into chaos.”
- “It felt like a descent into darkness.”
Descent vs decent
This mix-up is very common.
Descent (noun)
- going down
- family origin
- decline
Decent (adjective)
It means “good enough” or “respectable.” (Different word.)
Fast check:
- If you mean “going down” → use descent
- If you mean “good enough” → use decent
Descent vs dissent
Another common mix-up is descent vs dissent.
- descent = down / origin / decline
- dissent = disagree (not the same word)
Memory tip: dissent starts like **dis-**agree.
Short quiz with answers
Fill the blank with descent, decent, or dissent.
- “The hikers began their ______.”
- “That is a ______ plan.”
- “There was loud ______ in the meeting.”
- “The plane began its ______.”
- “She is of African ______.”
Answers:
- descent
- decent
- dissent
- descent
- descent
FAQ
What does descent mean in english?
It mainly means a movement down, and it can also mean family origin or a decline.
Descent meaning in family
It means origin, lineage, ancestry, often used as “of ___ descent.”
Descent meaning in aviation
It means the plane is going down in height. In emergencies, pilots may do an emergency descent, as described in FAA training material.
Descent vs decent
Descent = down/origin/decline. Decent = good enough/respectable.
Descent vs dissent
Descent = down/origin/decline. Dissent = disagreement.
What does of descent mean?
It usually means from that family background, like “of European descent.”
Conclusion:
Descent is a simple word with a few strong uses. Most of the time it means downward movement, like a road, stairs, or an aircraft descent.
It also means origin in family language, like of African descent or European descent, which links to ancestry, lineage, and genealogy.
And it can mean a decline, which is why you may see it in market writing or story lines like “descent into chaos.”
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Hello! I’m Clara Lexis, creator of Meanpedia.com. I specialize in breaking down words, phrases, and idioms so that anyone can understand and enjoy the beauty of English. My goal? Making language approachable, fun, and meaningful, one word at a time.
