*rife*

a. [ Anther + -ferous. ] (Bot.) (a) Producing anthers, as plants. (b) Supporting anthers, as a part of a flower. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. astrifer; astrum star + ferre to bear. ] Bearing stars. [ R. ] Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. aurifer; aurum gold + ferre to bear: cf. F. aurifère. ] Gold-bearing; containing or producing gold. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whence many a bursting stream auriferous plays. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Auriferous pyrites, iron pyrites (iron disulphide), containing some gold disseminated through it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. bi- + antherigerous. ] (Bot.) Having two anthers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. calcarius of lime + -ferous. ] Lime-yielding; calciferous [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. calorifère, fr. L. calor heat + ferre to bear. ] An apparatus for conveying and distributing heat, especially by means of hot water circulating in tubes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ra wax + -ferous. ] Producing wax. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cirrus + -ferous. ] Bearing cirri, as many plants and animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cuprum + -ferous. ] Containing copper; as, cupriferous silver. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. dolor pain + -ferous. ] Producing pain. Whitaker.

a. [ L. febris fever + -ferous. ] Causing fever; as, a febriferous locality. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ferrum iron + -ferous: cf. F. ferrifère. ] Producing or yielding iron. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. florifer; flos, floris, flower + ferre to bear; cf. F. florifère. ] Producing flowers. Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. hedera ivy + -ferous. ] Producing ivy; ivy-bearing. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. laurifer; laurus + ferre to bear. ] Producing, or bringing, laurel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) (a) The name of several species of plants of the genus Lysimachia, having small star-shaped flowers, usually of a yellow color. (b) Any species of the genus Lythrum, having purple, or, in some species, crimson flowers. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

False loosestrife, a plant of the genus Ludwigia, which includes several species, most of which are found in the United States. --
Tufted loosestrife, the plant Lysimachia thyrsiflora, found in the northern parts of the United States and in Europe. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. lucrum gain +-ferous. ] Gainful; profitable. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Lyre + -ferous. ] (Zool.) Having a lyre-shaped shoulder girdle, as certain fishes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. nectar nectar + -ferous: cf. F. nectarifère. ] (Bot.) Secreting nectar; -- said of blossoms or their parts. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Niter + -ferous. ] Bearing niter; yielding, or containing, niter. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. odorifer; odor odor + ferre to bear. See Odoe, and 1st Bear. ] Bearing or yielding an odor; perfumed; usually, sweet of scent; fragrant; as, odoriferous spices, particles, fumes, breezes. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- O`dor*if"er*ous*ly, adv. --O`dor*if"er*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ostrifer; ostrea oyster + ferre. ] Producing oysters; containing oysters. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. porus pore + ferre to bear. ] (Zool.) A grand division of the Invertebrata, including the sponges; -- called also Spongiæ, Spongida, and Spongiozoa. The principal divisions are Calcispongiæ, Keratosa or Fibrospongiæ, and Silicea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Polifera. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] The Polifera. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. rīf abundant, or Icel. rīfr munificent; akin to OD. riff, rijve, abundant. ] 1. Prevailing; prevalent; abounding. [ 1913 Webster ]

Before the plague of London, inflammations of the lungs were rife and mortal. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

Even now the tumult of loud mirth
Was rife, and perfect in may listening ear. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having power; active; nimble. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

What! I am rife a little yet. J. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Rife"ly, adv. -- Rife"ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. rorifer; ros, roris, dew + ferre to bear: cf. F. rorifère. ] generating or producing dew. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. rostrum beak + ferre to bear. ] (Zool.) A division of pectinibranchiate gastropods, having the head prolonged into a snout which is not retractile. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. saccharon sugar + -ferous. ] Producing sugar; as, sacchariferous canes. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from L. securis an ax + ferre to bear. ] (Zool.) The Serrifera. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. serra saw + ferre to bear. ] (Zool.) A division of Hymenoptera comprising the sawflies. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. soparifer; sopor a heavy sleep + ferere to bring. ] Causing sleep; somniferous; soporific. “Soporiferous medicine.” Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Sop`o*rif"er*ous*ly, adv. -- Sop`o*rif"er*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. L. spira a coil + ferreto bear. ] (Paleon.) Any one of numerous species of fossil brachipods of the genus Spirifer, or Delthyris, and allied genera, in which the long calcareous supports of the arms form a large spiral, or helix, on each side. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Spore + -ferous. ] (Biol.) Bearing or producing spores. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. estrif. See Strive. ] 1. The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [ Archaic ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Exertion or contention for superiority; contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical efforts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Doting about questions and strifes of words. 1 Tim. vi. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus gods contended -- noble strife -
Who most should ease the wants of life. Congreve. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Altercation; violent contention; fight; battle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Twenty of them fought in this black strife. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

These vows, thus granted, raised a strife above
Betwixt the god of war and queen of love. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That which is contended against; occasion of contest. [ Obs. ] “Lamenting her unlucky strife.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Contest; struggle; quarrel. See Contention. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Contentious; discordant. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ape was strifeful and ambitious. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. sudor sweat + -ferous. ] (Physiol.) Producing, or secreting, sweat; sudoriparous. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sudoriferous glands (Anat.), small convoluted tubular glands which are situated in the subcutaneous tissues and discharge by minute orifices in the surface of the skin; the sweat glands. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. thurifer, turifer; thus frankincense + -ferre to bear. ] Producing or bearing frankincense. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Tuber + -ferous. ] Producing or bearing tubers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. umbrifer; umbra a shade + ferre to bear. ] Casting or making a shade; umbrageous. -- Um*brif"er*ous*ly adv. [1913 Webster]

a. [ L. vaporifer; vapor + ferre to bear. ] Conveying or producing vapor. [ 1913 Webster ]