noun
any of numerous plants of the genus Gladiolus native chiefly to tropical and South Africa having sword-shaped leaves and one-sided spikes of brightly colored funnel-shaped flowers; widely cultivated
• Syn: ↑gladiolus, ↑glad, ↑sword lily
• Hypernyms: ↑iridaceous plant
• Member Holonyms: ↑genus Gladiolus
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\\ˌgladēˈōlə\ noun (-s)Etymology: back-formation from gladiolus, taken as a plural
: gladiolus 1 b
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—gladiolar, adj.
/glad'ee oh"leuh/, n.
gladiolus (def. 1).
[ < L, neut. pl. treated as if fem. sing.]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.