'armiferous' originates from New Latin/Latin, specifically from Latin 'armifer' combined with the English adjectival suffix '-ous'. In Latin 'arma' meant 'arms' (weapons) and 'fer' (from 'ferre') meant 'bearing' or 'carrying'.

'armifer' existed in Latin as a compound of 'arma' + 'ferre' (bearing arms); it was used in Medieval/Neo-Latin contexts and later adopted into English as 'armiferous' by adding the English suffix '-ous' to form an adjective.

Initially it meant 'bearing or carrying arms' in the literal sense, and its primary meaning has remained essentially the same in modern usage: 'armed' or 'weapon-bearing'.