gail·lar·dia \gəˈlärdēə, ÷ -də\noun Etymology: New Latin, from Gaillard de Marentonneau, 18th century French botanist + New Latin -ia 1.capitalized: a genus of chiefly western American herbs (family Compositae) having hairy foliage and long stalked flower heads with showy yellow, purple, or variegated rays 2.-s: any plant or flower of the genus Gaillardia