LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

gladiolus

gladiolus m (genitive gladiolī)
Classical[ɡɫaˈdi.ɔ.ɫʊs]Ecclesiastical[ɡlaˈdiː.o.lus]

Meaning

  1. masculineLittle sword, knife
  2. masculineSword lily, gladiolus.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativegladiolusgladiolī
genitivegladiolīgladiolōrum
dativegladiolōgladiolīs
accusativegladiolumgladiolōs
ablativegladiolōgladiolīs
vocativegladiolegladiolī

glădĭŏlus, i, m. dim. gladius.
I. A small sword: lingulam veteres dixere gladiolum oblongum, in speciem linguae factum, Gell. 10, 25, 3: gladiolo solito cinctus, App. M. 2, p. 122; 3, p. 131.—In plur. heterocl. glădĭŏla: nec gladiola (quisquam ferat), atqui Messala dixit, Quint. 1, 6, 42 (cf. gladius init.).—
B. Glădĭŏlus, i, title of a comedy by Livius Andronicus, Fest. s. v. pedibus, p. 210 b. Müll.—
II. The sword-lily, Plin. 21, 11, 38, § 65; 21, 17, 67, § 107 sq.; al. Pall. 1, 37.

Origins

Diminutive of gladius (“sword”) + -olus.

Borrowings
  • Catalangladiol
  • Englishgladiolus
  • GermanGladiole
  • Romaniangladiolăfrom German Gladiole
  • Italiangladiolo
  • Norwegiangladiolus
Elsewhere
  • Catalangaritjol
  • Frenchglaïeul
  • Occitanglaujòl
  • Italiangiaggiolofrom Old Italian ghiaggiuolo

In English words that came into English from gladiolus

  • gladiolusgladiolus
  • gladiolegladiolus
  • gladengladiolus

Quick answers

What does gladiolus mean in Latin?
gladiolus, a noun, means “Little sword, knife; Sword lily, gladiolus.”.
What is the genitive of gladiolus?
The genitive singular is gladiolī. gladiolus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce gladiolus?
In classical Latin, [ɡɫaˈdi.ɔ.ɫʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ɡlaˈdiː.o.lus].
Which English words come from gladiolus?
English words that go back to Latin gladiolus include gladiolus, gladiole and gladen.