atomiferous
|a-tom-i-fer-ous|
🇺🇸
/əˈtɑmɪfərəs/
🇬🇧
/əˈtɒmɪf(ə)rəs/
bearing or composed of atoms
Etymology
'atomiferous' originates from New Latin/Modern formation combining Greek 'atomos' and Latin-derived suffix '-ferous' (from Latin 'ferre', 'to bear'), where 'atomos' meant 'indivisible' and '-ferous' meant 'bearing'.
'atomiferous' was formed in English by combining a classical element from Greek 'atomos' (via New Latin usage) with the Latin-based English suffix '-ferous' (from 'ferre'), producing the adjective seen in scientific and literary usage from the 17th–19th centuries onward.
Initially the component 'atomos' carried the sense 'indivisible' and the word originally conveyed 'bearing or composed of atoms'; over time it retained the core idea of 'containing atoms' but is now rare and chiefly descriptive or archaic.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
composed of, containing, or bearing atoms; made up of atoms.
The newly discovered mineral was described as atomiferous under the electron microscope.
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Adjective 2
(rare/archaic) Yielding or producing atoms; bearing atoms (used in older scientific or literary contexts).
In some 18th-century texts the philosopher spoke of atomiferous bodies that could be split into simpler parts.
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Last updated: 2025/11/12 19:42