Dictionary
glad•i•o•lus
Pronunciation: (glad"ē-ō'lus), [key]—
n.,
—pl. -lus, -liPronunciation: (-lī), [key] -lus•es for 1; -li for 2.
1. any plant of the genus
Gladiolus, of the iris family, native esp. to Africa, having erect, sword-shaped leaves and spikes of flowers in a variety of colors.
2. Anat.the middle and largest segment of the sternum. Cf.
manubrium (def. 2a),
xiphisternum. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.