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Gladiolus

/ˌgladēˈōləs/

Noun, pl. gladioli

(Anatomy)
1. The center part of the sternum. (wiktionary.org)

2. The middle portion of the sternum in some animals; the mesosternum. (biology-online.org)

3. The large central part of the breastbone. (wordnetweb.princeton.edu)

(Botany)
1. Any of several flowering plants, of the genus Gladiolus, having sword-shaped leaves and showy flowers on spikes; gladiola. (wiktionary.org)

2. A genus of plants having bulbous roots and gladiate leaves, and including many species, some of which are cultivated and valued for the beauty of their flowers; the corn flag; the sword lily. (biology-online.org)

3. A genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae). It is sometimes called the ‘Sword lily’, but usually by its generic name (plural gladioli, gladioluses, glads). (wikipedia.org)

4. An Old World plant of the iris family, with sword-shaped leaves and spikes of brightly colored flowers, popular in gardens and as a cut flower. (Google Dictionary)

Word origin: From Latin gladiolus “wild iris,” literally “small sword,” diminutive of gladius “sword”; so called by Pliny in reference to the plant’s sword-shaped leaves. The Old English form of the word was gladdon. Form gladiol is attested mid-15c.; the modern use perhaps represents a 1560s reborrowing from Latin.