Real Dictionary

descent
You use descent to talk about a person's family background, for example their nationality or social status.
countable noun: A descent is a surface that slopes downwards, for example the side of a steep hill.
singular noun: When you want to emphasize that a situation becomes very bad, you can talk about someone's or something's descent into that situation.
variable noun: A descent is a movement from a higher to a lower level or position.

descent in American English
a descending; coming down or going down
noun: the act, process, or fact of descending

descent in British English
noun: the act of descending