afferent

[ af-er-uhnt ]
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adjective
  1. bringing to or leading toward an organ or part, as a nerve or arteriole (opposed to efferent).

noun
  1. a nerve carrying a message toward the central nervous system.

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Origin of afferent

1
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

Words Nearby afferent

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How to use afferent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for afferent

afferent

/ (ˈæfərənt) /


adjective
  1. bringing or directing inwards to a part or an organ of the body, esp towards the brain or spinal cord: Compare efferent

Origin of afferent

1
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

[ ăfər-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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