-ferous

See also: ferous

English

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti

Proto-Italic *ferō

Latin ferō

Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed-

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *h₃édosder.?

Proto-Italic *-ŏ̄dsos?

Old Latin -ōssus

Latin -ōsus

Old French -usbor.

Middle English -ous

English -ous

English -ferous

From Latin ferō (“to bear”) + English -ous.

-ferous (adjective-forming suffix, comparative more -ferous, superlative most -ferous)

Used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense “bearing an entity or entities as specified by the noun”.
‎flagellum + ‎-i- + ‎-ferous → ‎flagelliferous (“bearing a flagellum”)

‎flos, floris + ‎-i- + ‎-ferous → ‎floriferous (“bearing flowers”)
Used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense “producing a material as specified by the noun”.
‎nectar + ‎-i- + ‎-ferous → ‎nectariferous (“producing nectar”)
Used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense “containing a material as specified by the noun”.
‎nickel + ‎-i- + ‎-ferous → ‎nickeliferous (“containing nickel”)

‎cadmium + ‎-i- + ‎-ferous → ‎cadmiferous (“containing cadmium”)