deferent

[ def-er-uhnt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

deferent

[ def-er-uhnt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

, Anatomy.

Astronomy. (in the Ptolemaic system) the circle around the earth in which a celestial body or the center of the epicycle of its orbit was thought to move.

deferent

/ ˈdɛfərənt /

deferent

/ ˈdɛfərənt /

(esp of a bodily nerve, vessel, or duct) conveying an impulse, fluid, etc, outwards, down, or away; efferent

astronomy (in the Ptolemaic system) a circle centred on the earth around which the centre of the epicycle was thought to move

First recorded in 1815–25; defer ² + -ent

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin dēferent- (stem of dēferēns ), present participle of dēferre. See defer ², -ent

C17: from Latin dēferre ; see defer ²

The eighth sphere had neither deferent nor epicycle but to it were attached the fixed stars.

Corresponding to each planet there was supposed to be a circle called a deferent, which had the earth as its centre.

The moon moves on an epicycle centred on a second epicycle, itself centred on a deferent, excentric to the earth.

The man's tone was so earnest, and there was so deferent a look in his eyes, that the Princess recovered some of her courage.

Mealy Benoît had paid his score already, and Hogshead Geoffroy's deferent escort of friends was getting restless.

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