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

See Examples For:

efferent

Once the efferent arteriole exits the glomerulus, it forms the peritubular capillary network, which surrounds and interacts with parts of the renal tubule.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

They constrict the efferent arterioles, causing the flow of blood into the nephrons to stop.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Afferent and efferent can also refer generally to neurons which, respectively, bring information to or send information from brain region.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

The central autonomic structure is the hypothalamus, which coordinates sympathetic and parasympathetic efferent pathways to regulate activities of the organ systems of the body.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

It is only where efferent stimuli do not immediately become entirely transmuted into outwardly moving impulses that mental action comes in and an animal feels.

From Text Book of Biology, Part 1: Vertebrata by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells