gladiolus

noun

glad·​i·​o·​lus ˌgla-dē-ˈō-ləs 

plural gladioli ˌgla-dē-ˈō-(ˌ)lē  -ˌlī 

1

or plural gladiolus also gladioluses : any of a genus (Gladiolus) of chiefly African perennial plants of the iris family with erect sword-shaped leaves and spikes of brilliantly colored irregular flowers arising from corms

2

: the large middle portion of the sternum

Illustration of gladiolus

• gladiolus 1

Examples of gladiolus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Your prized gladiolus keeled over at high noon. —Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025

Overwintering cold-sensitive bulbs such as dahlias, cannas, and gladiolus is a smart way to save money, preserve your favorite varieties, and even grow bigger blooms the following summer. —Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2025

The spelling bee has grown dramatically over 100 years For Frank, the word was a type of flower, gladiolus. —Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025

Some plants do not perform well with beans, including onions, garlic, gladiolus, and fennel. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, gladiolus, from diminutive of gladius

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gladiolus

• malleolus
• nucleolus
• bolus
• colas
• polis
• solus
• embolus

Kids Definition

gladiolus

noun

glad·​i·​o·​lus ˌglad-ē-ˈō-ləs 

plural gladioli -ˈō-(ˌ)lē 

-ˈō-ˌlī

or gladiolus also gladioluses

: any of a genus of chiefly African plants related to the irises and having erect sword-shaped leaves and stalks of brilliantly colored flowers

Etymology

from Latin gladiolus, literally, "little sword," from gladius "sword" — related to gladiator

Medical Definition

gladiolus

noun

glad·​i·​o·​lus ˌglad-ē-ˈō-ləs 

plural gladioli -(ˌ)lē  -ˌlī 

: the large middle portion of the sternum lying between the upper manubrium and the lower xiphoid process

called also mesosternum