[1525–35; ‹ L mortiferus death-bearing, equiv. to morti- (s. of mors) death + -ferus-ferous]This word is first recorded in the period 1525–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: mask, qualify, secure, signature, society-ferous is a combining form meaning “bearing,” “producing,” “yielding,” “containing,” “conveying,”used in the formation of compound words. Other words that use the affix -ferous include: coniferous, pestiferous