ABSTRACT. The essential oil compositions of Gladiolus candidus, Ranunculus multifidus, Artemisia abyssinica and Crinum abyscinicum were analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The principal components in the leaves, stems and rhizomes of G. candidus were eudesmol, 1-naphthalenepropanol and oleic acid, respectively. α-Terpineol, alloocimene  and p-menth-2-en-1-ol from leaves, bulbs and roots were respectively the major constituents of C. abyscinicum. The aerial part of R. multifidus furnished p-mentha-2,8-dien-1-ol. Linalool and terpinenol were identified as the major constituents of A. abyssinica. The essential oils were evaluated for their antibacterial activity. Essential oil from leaves of G. candidus displayed zone of inhibition (IZ) of 15.1±0.3 and 16.7±0.9 mm against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. Leaves essential oil of C. abyscinicum exhibited IZ of 17.9±1.1 and 15.6±1.1 mm against E. coli and P. aeruginosa, respectively, whereas essential oil from aerial part of R. multifidus displayed IZ of 18.8±0.8 and 19.4±0.6 mm against S. aureus and S. pyogens, respectively. At the same concentration, ceftriaxone showed IZ of 15.1±0.1, 16.2±0.8, 14.3±0.9 and 16.1±2.5mm against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and S. pyogens, respectively. The findings presented herein support the ethnobotanical uses of these plants against bacteria.     KEY WORDS: G. candidus, R. multifidus, A. abyssinica, C. abyscinicum, Antibacterial activity, Essential oil   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(4), 865-878.                                                              DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i4.12