[1750–60; cheli- + -ferous]This word is first recorded in the period 1750–60. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: infiltrate, permeability, summation, swish, totem-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