PROLIFEROUS
Pro*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. proles offspring + -ferous.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: Bearing offspring; — applied to a flower from within which another is produced, or to a branch or frond from which another rises, or to a plant which is reproduced by buds or gemmæ.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) Producing young by budding. (b) Producing sexual zooids by budding; — said of the blastostyle of a hydroid. (c) Producing a cluster of branchlets from a larger branch; — said of corals. Proliferous cyst (Med.), a cyst that produces highly- organized or even vascular structures. Paget. — Pro*lif"er*ous*ly, adv.
PROLIFIC
Pro*lif"ic, a. Etym: [F. prolifique, fr. L. proles offspring (from
pro for, forward + the root of alere to nourish) + facere to make.
See Adult, Old, and Fact.]
1. Having the quality of generating; producing young or fruit; generative; fruitful; productive; — applied to plants producing fruit, animals producing young, etc.; — usually with the implied idea of frequent or numerous production; as, a prolific tree, female, and the like.
2. Serving to produce; fruitful of results; active; as, a prolific brain; a controversy prolific of evil.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: Proliferous.
PROLIFICACY
Pro*lif"ic*a*cy, n.