cleavage
|cleav-age|
/ˈkliːvɪdʒ/
a split or dividing plane
Etymology
'cleavage' originates from English, formed from the verb 'cleave' plus the noun-forming suffix '-age', ultimately from Proto-Germanic 'kleubaną' meaning 'to split'.
'cleavage' arose in the 19th century from 'cleave' + '-age'; 'cleave' derives from Old English 'clēofan', passed through Middle English, and yielded the modern English verb 'cleave' and the derived noun 'cleavage'.
Initially, it meant 'the action of splitting', but over time it expanded to include 'mineral splitting', 'embryonic cell division', 'chemical bond breaking', 'a division in society', and 'the space between the breasts'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the hollow between a woman’s breasts, or the exposure of that area by clothing.
The dress emphasized her cleavage.
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Noun 2
the act or state of splitting or dividing into parts; a split or separation.
A political cleavage emerged within the movement.
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Noun 3
in geology/mineralogy, the tendency of rocks or minerals to split along definite planes (cleavage planes).
Mica exhibits perfect cleavage in one direction.
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Noun 4
in embryology, the early series of rapid cell divisions of a fertilized egg.
Cleavage begins shortly after fertilization.
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Noun 5
in chemistry/biochemistry, the breaking of a chemical bond, often enzyme-catalyzed (e.g., peptide bond cleavage).
The enzyme catalyzes the cleavage of the peptide bond.
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Noun 6
a sharp division or schism within a group, society, or political system.
There is a longstanding class cleavage in the country.
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Last updated: 2025/08/11 06:22