-ferous
in actual use always -iferous (ˈɪfərəs), an adjectival suffix f. L. -fer producing (f. ferre to bear) + -ous. In Lat. the suffix -fer was always preceded by ĭ, either belonging to the stem as in pestifer, substituted for the stem-vowel as in sensifer, or inserted as a connecting vowel as in ærifer; so that the suffix practically appears in Lat. as -ifer, and in Eng. as -iferous. In Eng. it appeared first in words taken from Lat., either directly or through Fr. adaptations in -fère, as in auriferous, bacciferous, biferous, cruciferous, frugiferous, glandiferous, lactiferous, metalliferous, odoriferous, pomiferous, rosiferous, soporiferous, thuriferous, vociferous. On the analogy thus established -iferous became a living English suffix, capable of combining with any Latin stem, and forms an unlimited number of derivatives, esp. in Natural History, as acidiferous, argentiferous, carboniferous, cocciferous, fossiliferous, lucriferous, sanguiferous, umbelliferous.