\Pro*lif"er*ous\, a. [L. proles offspring +
-ferous.]
1. (Bot.) 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 gemm[ae].
2. (Zo["o]l.)
   (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.