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mel·lif·er·ous

(mə-lĭfər-əs) also mel·lif·ic

(-lĭfĭk)

adj.

Yielding or having to do with honey: melliferous flowers.

[From Latin mellifer : mel, mell-, honey; see melit- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -fer, -fer.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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