a gladiolus, any iridaceous plant of the genus Gladiolus
cornflag in American English
(ˈkɔrnˌflæɡ)
noun
a Mediterranean plant, Gladiolus segetum, of the iris family, having loose, one-sided spikes of pinkish-purple flowers
Word origin
[1570–80; corn1 + flag2]This word is first recorded in the period 1570–80. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: assimilate, deadhead, pigeonhole, repeater, split