gladiolus
gla.di.o.lus \.glad-e--'o--l*s also gl*-'di--*-l*s\ \-'o--(.)le-, -'o--.li-; -*-.li-\ n or gla.di.o.li; or gladiolus; or gla.di.o.lus.es [NL, genus name, fr. L, small sword, dim. of gladius] pl pl 1: any of a genus (Gladiolus) of chiefly African plants of the iris f amily with erect sword-shaped leaves and spikes of brilliantly colored irregular flowers arising from flattened corms 2: the large middle portion of the sternum