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afferent

[ af-er-uhnt ]
/ ˈæf ər ənt /
Physiology
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adjective
bringing to or leading toward an organ or part, as a nerve or arteriole (opposed to efferent).
noun
a nerve carrying a message toward the central nervous system.

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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

OTHER WORDS FROM afferent

af·fer·ent·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH afferent

afferent , efferent

Words nearby afferent

affective disorder, affective fallacy, affective psychosis, affectless, affenpinscher, afferent, affettuoso, affiance, affianced, affiant, affiche
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to afferent

audiovisual, auditory, aural, neural, neurological, olfactory, sensual, sonic, tactile, visual, sensational, acoustic, audible, auricular, clear, discernible, distinct, gustative, gustatory, hearable

How to use afferent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for afferent

afferent
/ (ˈæfərənt) /
adjective
bringing or directing inwards to a part or an organ of the body, esp towards the brain or spinal cordCompare efferent

Word Origin for afferent

C19: from Latin afferre to carry to, from ad- to + ferre to carry
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

Scientific definitions for afferent

afferent
[ ăf′ər-ənt ]
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. Compare efferent.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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