Definition

Noun: 1. A flowering plant of the genus Gladiolus: A tall garden plant characterized by long, sword-shaped leaves and a tall stem bearing a spike of large, showy, funnel-shaped flowers. The flowers are often brightly colored and arranged on one side of the stem. Gladiolas are native primarily to tropical and southern Africa and are widely cultivated as ornamental plants.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She planted a row of gladiolas along the fence to add height and color to her garden.
  • The vibrant red gladiola stood out beautifully in the floral arrangement.
  • These gladiolas need to be staked because their heavy flower spikes can cause the stems to bend.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: In botanical and horticultural contexts, "gladiola" is often used interchangeably with "gladiolus" to refer to the plant and its flowers. The term can specify the cultivated hybrids commonly found in gardens and florist shops.
  • The exhibition featured several prize-winning gladiola cultivars.

Variants and Related Words

• Gladiolus (noun): This is the more formal botanical name for the genus and is often used synonymously with "gladiola." The plural is or .
  • The genus Gladiolus contains over 250 species.
• Sword lily (noun): A common name for the gladiola, referring to its sword-shaped leaves.
  • Sword lilies are a classic choice for summer bouquets.

Synonyms

• Gladiolus (noun): The direct synonym and scientific name.
• Sword lily (noun): A descriptive common name.

Noun

1. any of numerous plants of the genus Gladiolus native chiefly to tropical and South Africa having sword-shaped leaves and one-sided spikes of brightly colored funnel-shaped flowers; widely cultivated