bibulous

The word bibulous has a direct and literal lineage from the Latin verb bibere, meaning "to drink." The adjective bibulus described something that drinks readily, whether a person who drinks alcohol freely or a porous material that absorbs liquid. Entering English in the late 17th century, it initially carried both the technical sense of absorbency and the figurative sense of being fond of drink. Over time, the primary modern meaning settled on the characteristic of being overly fond of alcoholic beverages, while the technical sense became specialized and rare, preserving the core logic of a consuming or absorbing nature derived from its ancient root.

Structure: bibul (to drink) + ous (adjective suffix) - bibul: From Latin bibulus (freely drinking, absorbent), from the verb bibere (to drink). This functions as the core root conveying the sense of drinking. - ous: A suffix of Latin origin, used to form adjectives meaning "full of," "having the qualities of," or "characterized by."