Cleft
/klɛft/
Definitions
2 meaningsA crack or fissure in a rock or other substance.
/klɛft/
A split, crack, or fissure.
A deep cleft ran through the mountainside.
💡 Simply: Imagine a big crack in something, like a giant crack in the ground after an earthquake. That's a cleft!
👶 For kids: A big crack or split.
More Examples
The river carved a narrow cleft in the valley.
How It's Used
"The earthquake caused a deep cleft in the earth."
"The surgeon carefully examined the cleft in the patient's skull."
Split; divided; usually referring to a congenital condition such as cleft palate.
/klɛft/
Split or divided.
She had a cleft chin.
💡 Simply: Imagine a lip or a roof of the mouth that's split open. That's a cleft lip or palate; it means something is divided.
👶 For kids: Split open
More Examples
The cleft rock face was a stunning sight.
How It's Used
"The child was born with a cleft palate."
From Old English *cleft, past participle of *cleofan "to cleave, split".
The word has been used since Old English to describe a split or fissure.
Memory tip
Think of a rock being 'cleaved' apart, creating a cleft.