glad·i·o·lus 
(glăd′ē-ōləs)
(glăd′ē-ōləs)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.]
gladiolus