efferent

American  

[ef-er-uhnt] / ˈɛf ər ənt /

adjective

1. conveying or conducting away from an organ or part (afferent ).

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noun

1. an efferent part, as a nerve or blood vessel.

efferent British  

/ ˈɛfərənt /

adjective

1. carrying or conducting outwards from a part or an organ of the body, esp from the brain or spinal cord Compare afferent

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efferent Scientific  

/ ĕf′ər-ənt /

1. Carrying motor impulses away from a central organ or part, as a nerve that conducts impulses from the central nervous system to the periphery of the body.

2. Compare afferent

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Other Word Forms

• efference noun
• efferently adverb

Etymology

Origin of efferent

1830–40; < Latin efferent- (stem of efferēns carrying off, present participle of efferre ), equivalent to ef- ef- + ferent- carrying ( fer- carry + -ent- -ent )

Compare meaning

How does efferent compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• afferent vs. efferent

Example Sentences

If you’re what media savants call an “efferent reader,” looking for the efficient take-away, his approach will drive you bonkers.

From Washington Post

Then, efferent nerves rapidly carry muscle-control signals back to the hand.

From Nature

Bearing or conducting inwards to a part or organ; Ð opposed to efferent; as, afferent vessels; afferent nerves, which convey sensations from the external organs to the brain.

From Project Gutenberg

When the collateral circulation is insufficient to remove the blood from a region whose efferent venous trunk is completely filled with a thrombus, the phenomena of stagnation are produced.

From Project Gutenberg

The blood is collected from the walls of the gill-sacs by a series of efferent vessels which open into the dorsal aorta.

From Project Gutenberg