afferent adj 1: of nerves and nerve impulses; conveying sensory information from the sense organs to the CNS; "afferent nerves"; "afferent impulses" [ant: {efferent}, {motorial}] n 1: a nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system [syn: {sensory nerve}, {afferent nerve}, {afferent}]
Afferent \Af"fer*ent\, a. [L. afferens, p. pr. of afferre; ad + ferre to bear.] (Physiol.) Bearing or conducting inwards to a part or organ; -- opposed to {efferent}; as, afferent vessels; afferent nerves, which convey sensations from the external organs to the brain. [1913 Webster]