-ferous
suffix/-fəɹəs/
Etymology From Latin ferō (“to bear”) + English -ous.
1
Morpheme 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”)
2
Morpheme Used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense “producing a material as specified by the noun”.
- nectar + -i- + -ferous → nectariferous (“producing nectar”)
3
Morpheme 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”)
- Related terms
- ferrous, ferri-, ferriferous