glad·i·o·lus (glād'ē-ō'ləs) n.
pl.glad·i·o·li (-lī, -lē) or glad·i·o·lus·es
also glad·i·o·la (-lə) Botany Any of numerous plants of the genus Gladiolus, native chiefly to tropical and southern Africa and having sword-shaped leaves and showy, variously colored, irregular flowers arranged in one-sided spikes. Also called sword lily.
Anatomy The large middle section of the sternum.
[Middle English gladiol, from Latin gladiolus, wild iris, diminutive of gladius, sword; see gladiator.]
(glād'ē-ō'ləs) 