What does "descension" mean?

Descent; the act of descending.

What is a synonym for "descension"?

Common synonyms include: cascade, cataract, chute, collapse, comedown, crash.

//dɪˈsɛnʃən// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
Descent; the act of descending. archaic, countable, uncountable
"Death is followed by either ascension into a higher plane or descension into a lower plane."
2
The descent below the horizon of a celestial body. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"For in regard of time (as we elsewhere declare) the stars do vary their longitudes, and consequently the times of their ascension and descension."

"Death is followed by either ascension into a higher plane or descension into a lower plane."

From Middle English descencioun, from Old French descension, from Latin dēscēnsiō, dēscēnsiōnem.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.