Descent means moving downward from a higher place to a lower one. When a plane begins its descent toward the airport, it gradually lowers its altitude until it reaches the runway. Mountain climbers talk about the descent being harder than the climb up because going downhill tests your knees and balance differently.

The word also describes your ancestry: the people you come from. If you're of Italian descent, your family originally came from Italy. When someone says they're a descendant of a famous historical figure, they mean that person is their ancestor. You are a direct descendant of your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on.

In both meanings, descent involves coming from something higher or earlier. A physical descent takes you from a mountain peak to the valley below. Your family descent traces backward through generations, connecting you to people who lived before you. Scientists studying human origins study the descent of modern humans from earlier species.