cleave
verb · noun
Simple meaning
Separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kleevIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkliv
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
Separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
transitive
To split or sever something with, or as if with, a sharp instrument.
transitive
To make or accomplish by or as if by cutting.
Make by cutting into
“The water is going to cleave a channel into the rock.”
intransitivemineralogy
Of a crystal, to split along a natural plane of division.
transitivechemistry
To split (a complex molecule) into simpler molecules.
noun
A cut (slash) or a cut location, either naturally or artificially.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
More ways to use cleave
- “The water is going to cleave a channel into the rock.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
A butcher's knife having a large square blade.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A butcher's knife having a large square blade.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.