Cleft
Cleft (kleft) , imperfect and past participle
imp. & p. p. from Cleave.
Cleft , adjective
1.
Divided; split; partly divided or split.
2.
(Botany) Incised nearly to the midrib; as, a cleft leaf.
Cleft , noun
[Old English clift; compare Swedish klyft cave, den, Icelandic kluft cleft, Danish kloft, German kluft. See Cleave to split and compare 2d Clift, 1st Clough.]
1.
A space or opening made by splitting; a crack; a crevice; as, the cleft of a rock. — Is. ii. 21
2.
A piece made by splitting; as, a cleft of wood.
3.
(Farriery) A disease in horses; a crack on the band of the pastern.
Collocations (1)
Branchial clefts , See under Branchial.