Efferent

Carrying away. An artery is an efferent vessel carrying blood away from the heart. An efferent nerve carries impulses away from the central nervous system. The opposite of efferent is afferent.

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Conducting (fluid or a nerve impulse) outward from a given organ or part thereof; e.g., the e. connections of a group of nerve cells, e. blood vessel s, or the excretory duct of an organ. [L. efferens, fr. effero, to bring out]

- gamma e. the thin axon of a gamma motor neuron innervating the intrafusal muscle fibers of a muscle spindle.

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ef·fer·ent 'ef-ə-rənt; 'ef-.er-ənt, 'ē-.fer- adj conducting outward from a part or organ specif conveying nervous impulses to an effector <\efferent neurons> compare AFFERENT

ef·fer·ent·ly adv

efferent n an efferent part (as a blood vessel or nerve fiber)

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adj.

1. designating nerves or neurones that convey impulses from the brain or spinal cord to muscles, glands, and other effectors; i.e. any motor nerve or neurone.

2. designating vessels or ducts that drain fluid (such as lymph) from an organ or part. Compare afferent.

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ef·fer·ent (efґər-ənt) [L. ex out + ferre to bear] 1. conveying away from a center; called also centrifugal. 2. something that so conducts; see under fiber and nerve. Cf. corticifugal.