cleft
1 Americanverb
adjective
-
cloven; split; divided.
-
(of a leaf, corolla, lobe, or other expanded plant part) having divisions formed by incisions or narrow sinuses that extend more than halfway to the midrib or the base.
verb
noun
-
a fissure or crevice
-
an indentation or split in something, such as the chin, palate, etc
adjective
-
split; divided
-
(of leaves) having one or more incisions reaching nearly to the midrib
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of cleft1
1300–50; Middle English clift, Old English ( ge ) clyft split, cracked; cognate with Old High German, Old Norse kluft; akin to cleave 2
Origin of cleft2
see origin at cleft 1
Explanation
If you're looking for an indentation or opening in something, you're looking for a cleft (noun). A person with a cleft (adjective) chin has a little dent in the middle of their chin. Most superheroes have one. Superman is known for his ability to leap tall buildings, his crush on Lois Lane, and the cleft in his chin. For some reason, that cleft is supposed to make him look strong. Some clefts are not so nice. A cleft palate is an upper lip with a deep indentation in it that should be fixed by a surgeon. You may know the verb cleave, which means to cut down the middle. If you cleave something but don't finish the job, you've probably left a cleft in it.
Vocabulary lists containing cleft
Wonder
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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.
See Examples For:
Reported problems include spina bifida, cleft palate, and a range of intellectual, communication, behavior and memory disorders.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2025
Waiting lists for gynae mesh, children's squints, children's feeding tubes and cleft lip will also be tackled.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2025
He had the darkest eyelashes I’ve ever seen, short and tidy fingernails, and a cleft chin that could fit a Canadian loonie.
From Slate ● Dec. 17, 2024
“It certainly happened to me,” said Schimberg, who has a cleft palate.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2024
Jesus was this place, the Rock cleft for me.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
The timing of when DNA methylation occurs, was critical to the development of orofacial clefts.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 22, 2024
And there will be paintings — the latest from her ongoing series depicting faceless torsos and abstract clefts, bodies alone or cleaving.
From New York Times ● Jan. 13, 2023
Although it only covers about three square miles, the coastline is so ragged with “geos” — deep clefts in cliffs — that walking the circumference takes longer than you might think.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 16, 2021
The protein is large and globular, and it doesn’t have deep pockets or clefts on its surface where a drug could slip in.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2021
She leaned over the boat to look at the several clefts on its back.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
