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afferent

American  
[af-er-uhnt] / ˈæf ər ənt /

adjective

  1. bringing to or leading toward an organ or part, as a nerve or arteriole (opposed to efferent).


noun

  1. a nerve carrying a message toward the central nervous system.

afferent British  
/ ˈæfərənt /

adjective

  1. bringing or directing inwards to a part or an organ of the body, esp towards the brain or spinal cord Compare efferent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

afferent Scientific  
/ ăf′ər-ənt /
  1. Carrying sensory information toward a central organ or part, as a nerve that conducts impulses from the periphery of the body to the central nervous system.

  2. Compare efferent


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of afferent

1830–40; < Latin afferent- (stem of afferēns, present participle of afferre ), equivalent to af- af- + fer- (stem of ferre to carry) + -ent- -ent


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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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These again split to form cortical radiate arteries that radiate out and branch into many afferent arterioles that enter the capillaries supplying the nephrons.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

In proprioception, proprioceptive and kinesthetic signals travel through myelinated afferent neurons running from the spinal cord to the medulla.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

These again split to form arcuate arteries, from which cortical radiate arteries radiate out and branch into many afferent arterioles that enter the capillaries supplying the nephrons.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

About 90 percent of the afferent neurons carry information from inner hair cells, with each hair cell synapsing with 10 or so neurons.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

There are two divisions of nerves, the afferent and efferent.

From Special Report on Diseases of Cattle by United States. Bureau of Animal Industry

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