Meaning & use

afferent nerves

noun·Advanced

Nerves that carry sensory signals from the body's receptors toward the brain and spinal cord.

See it in a sentence

Afferent nerves in the skin sent a sharp pain signal to the brain instantly.

Doctors tested whether the patient's afferent nerves still detected touch after the injury.

A note on using this word

Remember afferent nerves carry signals 'toward' the central nervous system, the opposite direction of efferent nerves.

Words with a similar meaning

sensory nerves

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

efferent nerves

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