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afferent

[af-er-uh nt]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.

RELATED WORDS

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

Nearby words

  1. affective psychosis,
  2. affectively,
  3. affectivity,
  4. affectless,
  5. affenpinscher,
  6. afferent fiber,
  7. afferent glomerular arteriole,
  8. afferent nerve,
  9. afferent vessel,
  10. afferent-loop syndrome

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. 2019

Examples from the Web for afferent

British Dictionary definitions for afferent

afferent

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
Medicine definitions for afferent

afferent

[ăf′ər-ənt]

adj.

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.

n.

An afferent organ or body part, such as a blood vessel.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science 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.