Roriferous
[roh-RIF-ə-rəs]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Italian, 16th century
1.
Producing or generating dew
Examples of Roriferous in a sentence
"Before dawn, the roriferous clouds rolled in from the ocean."
"The roriferous fog left the grass heavy with morning dew."
About Roriferous
“Roriferous” is based on the Italian word “rorifero,” which is based on the Latin “rōrifer.” That word is a combination of the Latin “rōs,” meaning “dew,” and “ferō,” meaning “carry.” The English word “roriferous” has the suffix “ous,” meaning “an abundance of.”
Did you Know?
“Rore” has never been a common word for “dew,” though “rory” was a popular poetic synonym for “dewy” from the 16th to 18th century. “Roriferous” is actually the most popular word built on this root, but there aren’t many other words that precisely describe the state of generating or encouraging dew. The word “dewy” exists, but only describes the presence of dew. By contrast, “roriferous” describes the characteristic of attracting or producing dew.
