[1815–25; ‹ L ossi- (comb. form of os) bone + -ferous]This word is first recorded in the period 1815–25. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: aggressive, coupon, heuristic, reamer, treadmill-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