-ous, -ious, -eous
(Latin: full of or having the qualities of; in chemistry, a suffix denoting that the element indicated by the name bearing it, has a valence lower than that denoted by the termination -ic; as, nitrous, sulphurous, etc., as contrasted with nitric, sulphuric, etc.)
Only a small number of the hundreds of examples are presented because there are just too many to include at this time.
acrogynous (adjective) (not comparable)
In certain plants, a reference to bearing female organs at the tip end of the stem: An ancrogynous plant produces a multicellular reproductive formation at its apex which incorporates a large, immobile gamete and in which an embryo can develop.
acronychous, achronychous (adjective) (not comparable)
Concerning a creature having claws, nails, or hoofs: In the fairy tale that Rose was reading, there were many acronychous animals running around in circles trying to catch each other with their grappling appendages.
acrophilous (adjective), more acrophilous, most acrophilous
Pertaining to a form of life that has a strong preference for staying in lofty peaks rather than living in the lowlands: In the book Susan was reading, there was an article about plants and animals that selected high altitudes to dwell, and they were referred to as being acrophilous organisms.
aculeous (adjective), more aculeous, most aculeous
Concerning something needle-like or having a stinger; aculeate: Bees and wasps can be described with this rare and obsolete term as aculeous insects.
adelphous (adjective) (not comparable)
In botany, regarding a plant possessing clustered filaments: Adelphous stamens combine the filaments into one or more bundles instead of growing singly.
adenogenous (adjective) (not comparable)
Originating from glandular tissue: Karen learned that something, like a tumor, can be adenogenous in that it can emerge or be formed in the tissues of a gland.
adipsous (adjective), more adipsous, most adipsous
Concerning something that quenches thirst: On the hiking trip, Jane hadn't had anything to drink for quite a while and noticed a craving to drink water or eat some adipsous fruit, like an orange!
adulterous (adjective), more adulterous, most adulterous
1. Pertaining to not being faithful to one's spouse or partner: Joe's wife had an adulterous relationship with a neighbor named Steve.
2. Characterized by the violation of marriage vows: The adulterous activities of a philandering man or husband.
2. Characterized by the violation of marriage vows: The adulterous activities of a philandering man or husband.
adventitious (adjective), more adventitious, most adventitious
1. Referring to an addition from without; extrinsically added: The adventitious population in the big city is due to people coming from many different countries from around the world, while the minority of the population was born there.
2. Regarding something that appears sporadically, or out of the normal place: Jane noticed in her garden that some of the flowers she had planted in the fall were evidently quite adventitious and were suddenly appearing in a completely different spot!
3. Not natural or hereditary; pertaining to a growth in an unexpected place on a plant: Examples of such adventitious developments on organisms are roots that form on stems, an increase of hair where it usually is not found, or the development of a plant in a foreign habitat.
2. Regarding something that appears sporadically, or out of the normal place: Jane noticed in her garden that some of the flowers she had planted in the fall were evidently quite adventitious and were suddenly appearing in a completely different spot!
3. Not natural or hereditary; pertaining to a growth in an unexpected place on a plant: Examples of such adventitious developments on organisms are roots that form on stems, an increase of hair where it usually is not found, or the development of a plant in a foreign habitat.
Adventitious roots, shoots, buds, etc. are produced in unusual parts of the plant.
aeriferous (adjective), more aeriferous, most aeriferous
Referring to something that conveys air; air-conveying: Oxygen is transported by the aeriferous respiratory passages, like the trachea and bronchial tubes in air-breathing vertebrates.
Those creatures that naturally thrive in high atmospheric humidities.
aerophilous (adjective), more aerophilous, most aerophilous
A reference to plants which are pollinated by the wind or fertilized by airborne pollen: Aerophilous plants can grow very well in exposed windy habitats because the environment is full of oxygen!
agamous (adjective) (not comparative)
Characteristic of not involving the fusion of male and female gametes in reproduction: Agamous male or female cells do not unite with cells of the opposite sex to produce zygotes which are the fertilized eggs that have only just started developing and are not yet embryos which can develop into embryos and then babies.
agaricolous (adjective), more agaricolous, most agaricolous
A reference to species living on mushrooms and toadstools: The agaricolous red squirrel eats both mushrooms and toadstools, like the fly agaric, which are very toxic to mankind.
agonious (adjective), more agonious, most agonious
Referring to the condition of being full of misery, torment, woe, or pain which is so extreme as to cause contortions of the body, such as those which were made in athletic contests in Greece: Sometimes there is an agonious distress of the mind and/or body that can result from a person's excessive striving to accomplish something.
