'bacciferous' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'bacca', where 'bacca' meant 'berry', combined with the suffix '-ferous' meaning 'bearing' (from Latin 'ferre', 'to bear').

'bacciferous' developed via New/Scientific Latin forms such as 'baccifer' (literally 'berry-bearing') and was adopted into English botanical usage as 'bacciferous'.

Initially it meant 'bearing berries' in botanical contexts, and over time it has retained that specific meaning; usage remains specialized and largely unchanged.