[glad.i.o.lus] n, pl -li [NL, fr. L, gladiolus, fr. dim. of gladius] (15c) 1 or pl gladiolus also glad.i.o.lus.es : any of a genus (Gladiolus) of chiefly African plants of the iris family with erect sword-shaped leaves and spikes of brilliantly colored irregular flowers arising from corms
2: the large middle portion of the sternum