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n. pl. glad·i·o·li (-lī, -lē) or glad·i·o·lus·es 1. also glad·i·o·la (-lə) Botany Any of numerous plants of the genus Gladiolus, native chiefly to tropical and southern Africa and having sword-shaped leaves and showy, variously colored, irregular flowers arranged in one-sided spikes. Also called sword lily. 2. Anatomy The large middle section of the sternum. [Middle English gladiol, from Latin gladiolus, wild iris, diminutive of gladius, sword; see GLADIATOR.]  (click for a larger image) gladiolus |
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