descent

Descent is defined as going downward or falling, the decline of a population or area's moral values, or an individual's ethnic background.

(noun)

An example of descent is when you go down the stairs.
An example of descent is when people a person goes gradually mad.
An example of descent is when society loses its moral compass and goes into immorality.
An example of descent is a person from China, who is said to be of Chinese descent.

See descent in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Origin: ME descent < OFr descente < descendre: see descend

See descent in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

The act or an instance of descending.
A way down.
A downward incline or passage; a slope.
a. Hereditary derivation; lineage: a person of African descent.
b. One generation of a specific lineage.
a. The fact or process of coming down or being derived from a source: a paper tracing the descent of the novel from old picaresque tales.
b. Development in form or structure during transmission from an original source.
Law Transference of property by inheritance.
A lowering or decline, as in status or level: Her career went into a rapid descent after the charges of misconduct.
A sudden visit or attack; an onslaught.