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deferent

adj, noun — 5 senses

deferent

adj

UK /ˈdɛfəɹənt/

Etymology From defer and deference; see -ent.

1

Showing deference; deferential.

Derived terms
deferently
Related terms
deferential

deferent

noun

Etymology From Middle English defferent, from Middle French deferent (modern French déférent) or its etymon Latin dēferēns, dēferentis.

1

Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences A duct in the body serving to carry away from, as opposed to an afferent one.

2

Historical An imaginary circle surrounding the Earth, in whose periphery either the heavenly body or the centre of the heavenly body's epicycle was supposed to be carried round.

Ptolemaic astronomy

3

Obsolete That which carries or conveys.

  • though air be the most favorable deferent of sounds1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:

deferent

adj

Etymology From Middle English defferent, from Middle French deferent (modern French déférent) or its etymon Latin dēferēns, dēferentis.

1

Obsolete Serving to carry; bearing.

  • Bodies deferent.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.