[1820–30; ovi- + -ferous]This word is first recorded in the period 1820–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: boomerang, exogenous, karma, takeoff, tetrapod-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