# "odoriferous" - whence the "ifer"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 21, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282 "2015-02-21T19:21:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/1 "2015-02-21T19:21:45Z")
“Odor” … “malodorous” … fine. But not “odorous” but “odoriferous”. Any idea why that “ifer” gets tossed in there? And as an aside, if something smell great can we say “Gee gang, that smells oderriffic!!” ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/2 "2015-02-21T19:33:15Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > “Odor” … “malodorous” … fine. But not “odorous” but “odoriferous”. > > Any idea why that “ifer” gets tossed in there? > > And as an aside, if something smell great can we say “Gee gang, that smells oderriffic!!” [Etymonline](http://etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=odoriferous&searchmode=none) says: > [@](#): > > early 15c., “that has a scent,” with **-ous** + Latin _odorifer_ “spreading odor, fragrant,” literally “bearing odor,” from _odor_ (see **odor** ) + _ferre_ “to bear, carry” (see **infer** ). Usually in a positive sense. So the “ifer” means “bearing,” as in “odor-bearing.” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/3 "2015-02-21T19:43:06Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > So the “ifer” means “bearing,” as in “odor-bearing.” Right. Just as a [coniferous](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/132754/coniferous-forest) tree bears, and leaves, cones, an odoriferous thing bears _and leaves_ its odor. [“Odorous” is also a word](https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=Odorous), without so threatening an implication. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/4 "2015-02-21T20:05:30Z")
Thanks! And different “fer” than the iron one … is an iron mine feriferous? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/5 "2015-02-21T20:12:48Z")
Technically, the “-fer” means “bearing,” while the “-i-” is a connecting vowel. “-fer” seems to prefer “i” as its combining vowel; I thought originally it was because Latin _odor_ was third declension, but that doesn’t seem to be why. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/6 "2015-02-21T20:35:04Z")
The irregular Latin verb ferre, to carry or bear has principal ferro, ferrere, tuli, latus. So transfer and translate have the same roots: carry across. The “i” is just a connective. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/7 "2015-02-21T20:45:47Z")
Huh. Here I thought it was always “odiferous,” but I guess that is a shortened variant spelling of “odoriferous.” The more you know! ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/8 "2015-02-21T22:48:30Z")
Likewise the word “aquifer”, and the name “Lucifer”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/9 "2015-02-21T23:05:55Z")
The same place as the “ion” in “Congressional.” ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/10 "2015-02-21T23:14:04Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The irregular Latin verb ferre, to carry or bear has principal ferro, ferrere, tuli, latus. So transfer and translate have the same roots: carry across. The “i” is just a connective. Confer/collate Prefer/prelate Refer/relate Transfer/translate Offer/oblate??? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/11 "2015-02-21T23:44:02Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Thanks! > > And different “fer” than the iron one … is an iron mine feriferous? Dang. Other than it actually has two "r"s [it is](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferriferous). When is “odorous” preferred to “odoriferous”/“odiferous”? Or what different implications do they have? **Peremensoe** states the former is less threatening in implication but I am not sure if that is it. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/12 "2015-02-21T23:52:32Z")
Look up a bunch of actual-usage examples of each and see if they don’t largely conform. “Odorous” just means a smell. “Odoriferous” means a more insinuative, persistent smell. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/13 "2015-02-22T01:08:26Z")
That’s the thing - in actual usage I cannot recall seeing or hearing “ordorous” used and have heard “odoriferous” and more commonly “odiferous” in both foul and pleasing actual smell contexts. True, more commonly “fragrant” will be used for a pleasing smell but something pleasing but very strong will be odiferous/odoriferous. Googling for actual use is not helping me much. Okay a Whitman quote with “odorous” in reference to flowers, but using Whitman as a guide seems ill-advised. Not saying you are wrong, just not so sure it is right. It does not seem to be clear. There is [this](http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/odorous) for example. > [@](#): > > Anything that has a strong scent can be described as odorous. Usually if you say something is odorous you mean that it smells unpleasant — like an odorous blue cheese made from unpasteurized milk. > The adjective odorous comes from the Latin odorus, meaning “fragrant.” Typically, you wouldn’t say, “those roses you sent me are so odorous!” Although that comment could be literally correct, the implication would be insulting to the giver of said roses. More common uses of odorous might include: odorous gym mats, odorous garbage can, odorous gas fumes — you get the picture. Or rather the stench. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/14 "2015-02-22T01:14:48Z")
It’s from Latin _ferre_, to carry or bear. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/15 "2015-02-22T02:26:49Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Likewise the word “aquifer”, and the name “Lucifer”. And Christopher. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/16 "2015-02-22T03:06:56Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > And Christopher. Technically, that’s the Greek cognate, and in Ancient Greek ([cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_phonology#Stops)) would have been /p[sup]h[/sup]εr/ (so sounding like English “pear” with a rolled r) rather than /fεr/ as in Latin (like English “fair” with a rolled r). [NB: I’m not entirely sure about that /ε/] ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/17 "2015-02-23T20:11:34Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Confer/collate > Prefer/prelate > Refer/relate > Transfer/translate > > Offer/oblate??? An oblate offers himself to the service of God…? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/18 "2015-02-23T20:21:00Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > When is “odorous” preferred to “odoriferous”/“odiferous”? Or what different implications do they have? **Peremensoe** states the former is less threatening in implication but I am not sure if that is it. From the meaning of the “-ferous” suffix described upthread, I infer (!) the following: “odorous” means a thing stinks. (I see “malodorous” more often than “odorous”.) “odiferous” means a thing stinks so intensely that it’s going to transfer its stink to adjacent things. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/19 "2015-02-23T21:42:29Z")
Another example of the root: _luminiferous_, meaning “light-carrying”, is a word familiar to anyone who knows a bit about [the history of physics.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminiferous_aether) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282/20 "2015-02-24T07:25:41Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Technically, that’s the Greek cognate, and in Ancient Greek ([cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_phonology#Stops)) would have been /p[sup]h[/sup]εr/ (so sounding like English “pear” with a rolled r) rather than /fεr/ as in Latin (like English “fair” with a rolled r). > > [NB: I’m not entirely sure about that /ε/] Good call on the p[sup]h[/sup]. The epsilon vowel would have been /e/ in the Ancient Greek pronunciation. /[p[sup]h[/sup]er](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CF%86%CE%AD%CF%81%CF%89#Ancient_Greek)/- It derives from the same [Proto-Indo-European root](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Proto-Indo-European/b%CA%B0%C3%A9re-) that gave us Latin _ferō_ and English _to bear_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odoriferous-whence-the-ifer/713282.md?page=2)