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Definition of gladiolus

gladiolus

/ˌɡlædiˈoʊləs/
gla · di · o · lus
Plural:gladioli
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gladiolus Lexical Profile

gladiolus Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A plant of the iris family (Iridaceae), native primarily to South Africa, Eurasia, and the Mediterranean, characterized by tall spikes of brightly colored, funnel-shaped flowers and stiff, sword-like leaves.

Example

"The florist arranged a striking bouquet featuring tall, crimson gladioli that towered above the surrounding white lilies."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for gladiolus

Word Nuance & Usage

While the traditional Latin plural is 'gladioli', the anglicized plural 'gladioluses' and the colloquial back-formation 'gladiola' (plural 'gladiolas') are frequently used in everyday gardening contexts.

• Rhymes for gladiolus

• Nearby Words

girdle
gitgit
glacier
gladiolus
glasgow
glass
glass lizard

Word Origin & Etymology

From Latin 'gladiolus', meaning 'small sword', a diminutive of 'gladius' (sword). The plant was named for the distinctive shape of its long, pointed leaves.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Gladiolus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/gladiolus
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