a. [ad. L. afferent-em pr. pple. of affer-re to bring to; f. af- = ad- to + ferre to bear.] Bringing or conducting inwards or towards. Chiefly in Phys. as afferent nerves, vessels.
1839–47. Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., III. 646/2. The former are called efferent, the latter afferent fibres.
1845. Todd & Bowman, Phys. Anat., II. 274. These vessels being styled afferent as they enter the gland, and efferent as they leave it.
1860. H. Spencer, in Macm. Mag., I. 395. An impression on the end of an afferent nerve is conveyed to some ganglionic centre, and is thence usually reflected along an efferent nerve to one or more muscles which it causes to contract.
1870. Rolleston, Anim. Life, 52. One of the afferent pulmonary veins.
