efferent

E1F4F4E1R1E1N1T1
/ˈɛf.ɜː.ɹənt//ˈɛf.ə.ɹənt/

adjective

Carrying away from.

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

Similar
motorialcentrifugalmotorcorticoefferentcorticofugalcorticifugalneuromotormotor nerve
Opposite
afferent
OriginLatin efferēns →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

adjectiveefferent (not comparable)
  1. not comparableCarrying away from.

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

  2. not comparableCarried outward.

    Efferent impulses are those conveyed by the motor or efferent nerves from the central nervous organ outwards.

nounefferent (plural efferents)

plural efferents

  1. A duct or stream that carries away.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
afferent

adjectiveof nerves and nerve impulses; conveying information away from the CNS

Similar
motorialcentrifugalmotorcorticoefferentcorticofugalcorticifugalneuromotor
Opposite
afferent

nouna nerve that conveys impulses toward or to muscles or glands

Similar
motor nerveefferent nerve
Broader
nervenervus
Also see
centrifugalcorticifugalcorticoefferentcorticofugalmotormotorialmotor nerveneuromotor

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinefferēns
  2. Englishefferent

From Latin efferēns, present active participle of efferō (“bring or carry out”), from ē (“out of”), short form of ex, + ferō (“carry, bear”). By surface analysis, ef- + -fer + -ent.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan eferent
  • eferentcarrying away from
Czech odstředivý, eferentní
  • odstředivýcarrying away from
  • eferentnícarrying away from
Dutch afvoerend, efferent
  • afvoerendcarrying away from
  • efferentcarrying away from
French efférent
  • efférentcarrying away from
German efferent, ableitend
  • efferentcarrying away from
  • ableitendcarrying away from
  • herausführendcarrying away from
Italian efferente
  • efferentecarrying away from
Malay eferen
  • eferencarrying away from
Persian وابران
  • وابران (vâbarân)carrying away from
Polish odprowadzający
  • odprowadzającycarrying away from
Portuguese eferente
  • eferentecarrying away from
Russian эфферентный
  • эфферентный (efferentnyj)carrying away from
Spanish eferente
  • eferentecarrying away from
Swedish efferent
  • efferentcarrying away from
Cite this entry
APA

efferent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/efferent

MLA

“efferent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/efferent. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “efferent,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/efferent.

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