gladiolus

American  

[glad-ee-oh-luhs] / ˌglæd iˈoʊ ləs /

noun

plural

gladiolus, gladioli, gladioluses, gladioli

1. any plant of the genus Gladiolus, of the iris family, native especially to Africa, having erect, sword-shaped leaves and spikes of flowers in a variety of colors.

2. Anatomy. the middle and largest segment of the sternum.

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gladiolus British  

/ ˌɡlædɪˈəʊləs /

noun

1. Also called: sword lily.   gladiola.  any iridaceous plant of the widely cultivated genus Gladiolus, having sword-shaped leaves and spikes of funnel-shaped brightly coloured flowers

2. anatomy the large central part of the breastbone

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Usage

What does gladiolus mean? The name gladiolus can refer to any plant in the genus Gladiolus, which is in the iris family. They are known for their sword-shaped leaves and brightly colored, funnel-shaped flowers.Due to the shape of its leaves, the gladiolus is sometimes called the sword lily. A gladiolus can also be called a gladiola. Gladiolus plants are sometimes informally called glads for short. The plural of gladiolus can be gladiolus, gladioli, or gladioluses.There are more than 300 species of gladiolus and their flowers come in many different colors. They are commonly used as ornamental flowers by gardeners and florists.The gladiolus is the one of the August birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone).The word gladiolus has another meaning in the context of anatomy, in which it refers to the middle and largest segment of the sternum (the breastbone).Example: We used four different kinds of gladiolus to make the wedding bouquet.

Etymology

Origin of gladiolus

1560–70; < Latin: small sword, sword lily, equivalent to gladi ( us ) sword + -olus -ole ¹

Compare meaning

How does gladiolus compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gladiolus vs. gladiola

Example Sentences

She stuffed wet, foam bricks into the base of a white bucket and pierced them with the stems of three bright red gladiolus.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2020

In her arrangements, Cuzzanti favors a light touch, creating airy bouquets that often pair beloved blossoms like roses, oleanders and gladiolus with more surprising elements such as artichokes and dried stems.

From New York Times • Nov. 18, 2020

A new orange gladiolus found on top of a remote table mountain in Guinea is now called Gladiolus mariae, after Xander van der Burgt christened the plant after his wife Maria.

From The Guardian • Dec. 17, 2019

The men who had given themselves up lined up in front of a podium decked with flowers, and each of them was presented with a single gladiolus flower by the Home Minister, Assaduzaman Khan.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2019

A wide-mouthed milk bottle filled with gladiolus was perched on another table under the window.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd