Pronunciation: [dɪsˈɛnts] (IPA) 
The word descents is spelled with a "sc" in the middle, despite the sound being similar to "ss". This is because the "sc" combination represents the sound "s" followed by a "c" sound alone in many words, including descents. This can be seen in the IPA phonetic transcription of the word, which is /dɪˈsɛnts/. The "c" sound is also emphasized in the pronunciation, with a hard stop between the "s" and "c" sounds.
The term "descents" refers to the plural form of the noun "descent." Descent can have multiple meanings depending on the context, but in general, it refers to the action or process of moving from a higher position or level to a lower one. In a literal sense, it can describe the act of moving downwards, such as when descending a staircase, hill, or mountain. It can also be used to depict the act of coming down from the sky or from a higher altitude, as in the descent of an aircraft.
In a metaphorical sense, descent can refer to a decline or deterioration from a higher to a lower state or condition. This could be applied to various aspects, such as a descent into madness, chaos, poverty, or despair. It can also be used to describe a decrease in quality, value, or reputation, such as the descent of a once successful business or the descent of a renowned artist.
Furthermore, "descents" can specifically refer to multiple instances or occasions of descending. For instance, in mountaineering, it can describe several journeys or expeditions to lower altitudes, or in reference to multiple staircase steps that are climbed down. It can also be used to represent the act of passing from one generation to the next, such as the descent of a family's heritage or wealth through subsequent offspring.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "descents" is derived from the Middle English word "descent" which came from the Old French word "descendre". "Descendre" itself originated from the Latin word "descendere" which is a combination of "de" (down) and "scandere" (to climb), meaning "to climb down". The term "descents" is the plural form of "descent" and refers to acts of moving down or descending.
