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afferent

[af-er-uh nt]Physiology
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adjective
  1. bringing to or leading toward an organ or part, as a nerve or arteriole (opposed to efferent).
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noun
  1. 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
Related formsaf·fer·ent·ly, adverb
Can be confusedafferent efferent
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

auditory, visual, sensual, tactile, sonic, neurological, neural, audiovisual, olfactory, aural, sensational, acoustic, audible, auricular, clear, discernible, distinct, ocular, perceptible, plain

Examples from the Web for afferent

Historical Examples

  • It is the latter or afferent function with which we are now concerned.

    Second Sight

    Sepharial

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

    Special Report on Diseases of Cattle

    U.S. Department of Agriculture

  • In some cases ligation of the afferent vessels has been successful.

    Manual of Surgery

    Alexis Thomson and Alexander Miles

  • The lesions of the arteriosclerotic kidney are due to narrowing and eventual obstruction of the afferent vessels.

    Arteriosclerosis and Hypertension:

    Louis Marshall Warfield

  • Branchial hearts are formed on the afferent vessels of the branchiae.

British Dictionary definitions for afferent

afferent

adjective
  1. bringing or directing inwards to a part or an organ of the body, esp towards the brain or spinal cordCompare efferent
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Word Origin

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
afferent in Medicine

afferent

(ăf′ər-ənt)
adj.
  1. Carrying inward to a central organ or section, as nerves that conduct impulses from the periphery of the body to the brain or spinal cord.
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n.
  1. An afferent organ or body part, such as a blood vessel.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
afferent in Science

afferent

[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. Compare efferent.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.