fĕrax, ācis, adj. [fero], fruit-bearing, fruitful, fertile (rare but class.).
I Lit. — Absol. : terrae, * Lucr. 2, 1098: agri, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 44, § 104; cf.: feracissimosque agros possidere, * Caes. B. G. 2, 4, 6: Sardinia, Hor. C. 1, 31, 4: Algidus, id. ib. 4, 4, 58: Aegyptus, Suet. Aug. 18: plantae, Verg. G. 2, 79.—
β With gen., abounding in , productive of (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): Iberia, venenorum ferax, Hor. Epod. 5, 22: Peparethos nitidae olivae, Ov. M. 7, 470: terra Cereris, id. Am. 2, 16, 7: terra arborum, Plin. Ep. 2, 17, 15: acini musti, Plin. 15, 24, 29, § 100.—
γ With dat.: terra ferax Cereris multoque feracior uvis, Ov. Am. 2, 16, 7: illa (terra) ferax oleo est, Verg. G. 2, 222.—
B Act. , making fruitful : venti, Pall. Nov. 5.—
II Trop., rich , fertile , fruitful : nullus feracior in philosophia locus est, nec uberior, quam de officiis, Cic. Off. 3, 2, 5: nihil est feracius ingeniis, id. Or. 15, 48: prolisque novae feraci Lege marita, Hor. Carm. Sec. 19: ferax saeculum bonis artibus, Plin. Ep. 4, 15, 8: sitne feracius et uberius non ad laudem modo, sed ad pecuniam principi, si, etc., id. Pan. 43, 3.—Hence, * adv.: fĕrācĭter , fruitfully : velut ab stirpibus laetius feraciusque renata urbs, Liv. 6, 1, 3.