cloven-hoofed
Americanadjective
-
having split hoofs, once assumed to represent the halves of a single undivided hoof, as in cattle.
-
devilish; Satanic.
Etymology
Origin of cloven-hoofed
First recorded in 1640–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Spread by midges, bluetongue poses no threat to the public or food safety but can affect cloven-hoofed animals like sheep and cattle.
From BBC ● Dec. 1, 2025
Last December, Ms. Miller tweeted a picture of a cloven-hoofed sculpture that the Satanic Temple, a self-described nontheistic religious group, had installed near a Christmas tree and Nativity scene inside the Illinois State Capitol.
From New York Times ● Oct. 22, 2022
FMD is highly transmissible and causes lesions and lameness in cattle, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed animals, but does not affect humans.
From Reuters ● Aug. 11, 2022
In cloven-hoofed animals, the disease can cause blisters and lesions that prevent animals from eating and in some cases cause lameness and death.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 2, 2022
All three, soon as perceiving the ladies, trot towards them; the ponies stretching out their necks to be patted, the cloven-hoofed creature equally courting caresses.
From Gwen Wynn by Mayne Reid
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
