afferent

A1F4F4E1R1E1N1T1
/ˈæ.fə.ɹənt//ˈæ.fɜː.ənt/

adjective

Carrying towards.

“An afferent nerve carries impulses from the body to the brain.”

Similar
centripetalreceptivesensorycorticoafferentcorticipetalsensory nerveafferent nerve
Opposite
efferent
OriginLatin afferens →
Less commonScrabble 14
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Meanings

adjectiveafferent (not comparable)
  1. not comparableCarrying towards.

    An afferent nerve carries impulses from the body to the brain.

    Antonyms: efferent

nounafferent (plural afferents)

plural afferents

  1. An afferent structure or connection.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveCarrying towards.

Opposite
efferent

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveof nerves and nerve impulses; conveying sensory information from the sense organs to the CNS

Similar
centripetalreceptivesensorycorticoafferentcorticipetal
Opposite
efferent

nouna nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system

Similar
sensory nerveafferent nerve
Broader
nervenervus
Also see
centripetalcorticipetalinferentreceptivesensory

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinafferens“bringing to”
  2. Englishafferent

From Latin afferens (“bringing to”), present participle of afferre (“to bring to”), from ad (“to, toward”) + ferre (“to carry, bear”). By surface analysis, af- + -fer + -ent.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech dostředivý
  • dostředivýCarrying towards
Finnish afferentti
  • afferenttiCarrying towards
French afférent
  • afférentCarrying towards
German hinführend, afferent
  • hinführendCarrying towards
  • afferentCarrying towards
Indonesian aferen
  • aferenCarrying towards
Italian afferente
  • afferenteCarrying towards
Malay aferen
  • aferenCarrying towards
Persian آوران
  • آوران (âvarân)Carrying towards
Portuguese aferente
  • aferenteCarrying towards
Russian афферентный
  • афферентный (afferentnyj)Carrying towards
Spanish aferente
  • aferenteCarrying towards
Swedish afferent, inåtledande
  • afferentCarrying towards
  • inåtledandeCarrying towards
Cite this entry
APA

afferent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/afferent

MLA

“afferent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/afferent. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “afferent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/afferent.

Source: afferent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.