Showing results for "cleavers"

• plural of cleaver.

cleavers

American  

[klee-verz] / ˈkli vərz /

noun

• cleavers
  plural

1. a North American plant, Galium aparine, of the madder family, having short, hooked bristles on the stems and leaves and bearing very small white flowers.

2. any of certain related species.

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cleavers British  

/ ˈkliːvəz /

noun

1. Also called: goosegrass, hairif, sticky willie. (functioning as singular) a Eurasian rubiaceous plant, Galium aparine, having small white flowers and prickly stems and fruits

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cleavers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cleavers

before 1000; Middle English clivre, Old English clife burdock ( -re probably by association with Middle English clivres (plural) claws, or with the agent noun from cleven to cleave ¹, whence the modern spelling)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cleavers

Then comes the sound, clams tossed in hot pans, cleavers pounding roast pork, a Cantonese rock ballad barely rising above the crowd.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

"Beryl was like a surprise attack, like an ambush," says Cornelius, in a deep baritone voice, over the market's chatter, reggae and thwack of cleavers on chopping boards.

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2024

Her mother, Ann, gave her honeysuckle flowers to suck on hot days and often added pineapple weed to lemonade or cleavers and violets to tea.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 6, 2023

Like sitcom employees, the Clyde’s cooks complain about how busy they are, and they look busy, smacking cleavers through heads of lettuce, slapping turkey slices onto waxed paper, and lavishly squeezing sauces all over them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 23, 2022

Francie watched, loving the drumbeat rhythm of the cleavers.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

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