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Descent vs Indigenous - What's the difference?

descent | indigenous |

As a noun descent

is an instance of descending.

As an adjective indigenous is

(chiefly|of living things) born or engendered in, native to a land or region, especially before an intrusion.

descent

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An instance of descending
  • We climbed the mountain with difficulty, but the descent was easier.
  • * 2012 , July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
  • The next one surrendered his bike, only for that, too, to give him a second flat as he started the descent .
  • A way down.
  • We had difficulty in finding the correct descent .
  • A sloping passage or incline.
  • The descent into the cavern was wet and slippery.
  • Lineage or hereditary derivation
  • Our guide was of Welsh descent .
  • A drop to a lower status or condition.
  • After that, the holiday went into a steep descent .

    Usage notes

    * Sometimes confused with (decent).

    Antonyms

    * (going down) ascent

    Anagrams

    *

    indigenous

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (chiefly, of living things) Born or engendered in, native to a land or region, especially before an intrusion.
  • * 1862 , , "Wild Apples: The History of the Apple Tree":
  • Not only the Indian, but many indigenous insects, birds, and quadrupeds, welcomed the apple-tree to these shores.
  • Innate, inborn.
  • * 1852 , , Uncle Tom's Cabin , ch. 18:
  • She was a native and essential cook, as much as Aunt Chloe,—cooking being an indigenous talent of the African race.
  • * 1883 , , "Stephen Archer" in Stephen Archer and Other Tales :
  • He had all the tricks of a newspaper boy indigenous in him.

    Synonyms

    * (born or engendered in) aboriginal, autochthonous, native

    Derived terms

    * indigenity * indigenously * indigenousness * nonindigenous