cleaving
|kliː-vɪŋ|
/ˈkliːvɪŋ/
(cleave)
split or divide
Etymology
'cleave' (sense 'split') originates from Old English 'cleofan' (also 'cleofan, clēofan'), from Proto-Germanic *kleubh- meaning 'to split, cleave'. 'Cleave' (sense 'adhere') originates from Old English 'clifian' (related to Old English 'clif' meaning 'cliff, cliff-like surface'), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *klib- meaning 'to stick'.
'cleave' (split) developed from Old English 'cleofan' into Middle English forms such as 'cleven' or 'cleven', while the 'adhere' verb from Old English 'clifian' developed into Middle English 'cleven'/'cleven' as well; over time the two distinct verbs converged in spelling as 'cleave' in Modern English despite separate origins.
Originally the roots referred separately to 'split' and to 'stick/adhere'; over time both senses survived under the same spelling 'cleave', so the modern word can mean either 'to split' or 'to cling'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of splitting or being split; a cleft or division.
The cleaving of the rock revealed ancient fossils.
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Noun 2
the act of adhering or sticking closely to something (metaphorical or literal).
Her cleaving to tradition shaped the whole ceremony.
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Verb 1
to split or sever something (often along a natural line or grain); to cut apart, often with force.
He was cleaving the log with a heavy axe.
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Last updated: 2025/10/17 16:39