efferent

American  

[ef-er-uhnt] / ˈɛf ər ənt /

adjective

1. conveying or conducting away from an organ or part (opposed to 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

Efferent synapses occur on outer hair cells and on afferent dendrites under inner hair cells.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Efferent projections from the brain to the cochlea also play a role in the perception of sound.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Efferent neurons transmit signals from the central nervous system to the effector cells and are sometimes called motor neurons.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Efferent means “away from,” as in motor commands that travel from the brain down the spinal cord and out into the periphery.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Efferent vessels emerge from the plantar foraminæ, follow the plantar fissures, and ascend within the basilar processes of the os pedis.

From Diseases of the Horse's Foot by Reeks, Harry Caulton