name · noun · verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈkliːv/
[ˈkhl̥ɪi̯v]
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -iːv
CMU ARPABET:K L IY1 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
name
Meaning 2
A hamlet in Offwell parish, East Devon district, Devon, England, divided into Upper and Lower Cleave (OS grid ref ST2000).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Flat, smooth surface produced by cleavage, or any similar surface produced by similar techniques, as in glass.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A cut (slash) or a cut location, either naturally or artificially.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To split or sever something with, or as if with, a sharp instrument.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The wings clove the foggy air.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rive
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To break a single crystal (such as a gemstone or semiconductor wafer) along one of its more symmetrical crystallographic planes (often by impact), forming facets on the resulting pieces.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
Followed by to or unto: to adhere, cling, or stick fast to something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The dress clings to her body
The label stuck to the box
The sushi rice grains cohere
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cling, adhere, stick, cohere
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: touch, adjoin, meet, contact
Narrower terms: mold, conglutinate, agglutinate
13
verb
Meaning 13
separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
cleave the bone
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: split, rive
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tear
Narrower terms: maul, laminate
14
verb
Meaning 14
make by cutting into
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The water is going to cleave a channel into the rock
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: make, create
History
Etymology
From Middle English cleven, from the Old English strong verb clēofan (“to split, to separate”), from Proto-West Germanic *kleuban, from Proto-Germanic *kleubaną, from Proto-Indo-European *glewbh- (“to cut, to slice”). Doublet of clive. Cognate with Dutch klieven, dialectal German klieben, Swedish klyva, Norwegian Nynorsk kløyva; also Ancient Greek γλύφω (glúphō, “carve”).
From Middle English cleven, a conflation of two verbs: Old English clifian (from Proto-West Germanic *klibēn, from Proto-Germanic *klibāną) and Old English clīfan (from Proto-West Germanic *klīban, from Proto-Germanic *klībaną), both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gleybh- (“to stick”). Cognate with Dutch kleven, German kleben (“to stick”).
Across languages
Translations
131 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
شَقَّ
(šaqqa)
— transitive to split or sever
Arabic:
فَسَخَ
(fasaḵa)
— transitive to split or sever
Arabic:
صَدَعَ
(ṣadaʕa)
— transitive to split or sever
Arabic:
فَلَقَ
(falaqa)
— transitive to split or sever
Arabic:
شَرَمَ
(šarama)
— transitive to split or sever
Balinese:
tebih
— transitive to split or sever
Balinese:
belah
— transitive to split or sever
Belarusian:
раско́лваць
(raskólvacʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Belarusian:
расшчапля́ць
(rasščapljácʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Belarusian:
кало́ць
(kalócʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Bulgarian:
цепя
(cepja)
— transitive to split or sever
Bulgarian:
разцепвам
(razcepvam)
— transitive to split or sever
Chinese Mandarin:
劈開 /劈开
(pīkāi)
— transitive to split or sever
Czech:
proříznout
— transitive to split or sever
Czech:
rozetnout
— transitive to split or sever
Czech:
rozříznout
— transitive to split or sever
Danish:
kløve
— transitive to split or sever
Dutch:
klieven
— transitive to split or sever
Egyptian:
z:n-z:n-T30
(znzn)
— transitive to split or sever
Finnish:
halkaista
— transitive to split or sever
Finnish:
halkoa
— transitive to split or sever
French:
cliver
— transitive to split or sever
French:
fendre
— transitive to split or sever
Galician:
partir
— transitive to split or sever
Galician:
tallar
— transitive to split or sever
Galician:
tronzar
— transitive to split or sever
Galician:
fender
— transitive to split or sever
Georgian:
გაპობა
(gaṗoba)
— transitive to split or sever
Georgian:
გაჭრა
(gač̣ra)
— transitive to split or sever
Georgian:
გაკვეთა
(gaḳveta)
— transitive to split or sever
German:
spalten
— transitive to split or sever
Greek:
σκίζω
(skízo)
— transitive to split or sever
Ancient Greek:
σχίζω
(skhízō)
— transitive to split or sever
Hawaiian:
kōhi
— transitive to split or sever
Hungarian:
hasít
— transitive to split or sever
Icelandic:
kljúfa
— transitive to split or sever
Icelandic:
láta klofna
— transitive to split or sever
Italian:
fendere
— transitive to split or sever
Japanese:
割る
(waru)
— transitive to split or sever
Korean:
쪼개다
(jjogaeda)
— transitive to split or sever
Malay:
belah
— transitive to split or sever
Māori:
tohi
— transitive to split or sever
Māori:
mākahi
— transitive to split or sever
Māori:
matakahi
— transitive to split or sever
Māori:
wehe
— transitive to split or sever
Māori:
tīwara
— transitive to split or sever
Māori:
kari
— transitive to split or sever
Norwegian:
kløyve
— transitive to split or sever
Occitan:
fendre
— transitive to split or sever
Occitan:
fendasclar
— transitive to split or sever
Occitan:
asclar
— transitive to split or sever
Occitan:
trencar
— transitive to split or sever
Old English:
clēofan
— transitive to split or sever
Persian:
شقه کردن
(šaqqe kardan)
— transitive to split or sever
Portuguese:
partir
— transitive to split or sever
Portuguese:
talhar
— transitive to split or sever
Romanian:
despica
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
раска́лывать
(raskályvatʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
расколо́ть
(raskolótʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
разреза́ть
(razrezátʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
разре́зать
(razrézatʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
рассека́ть
(rassekátʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
рассе́чь
(rasséčʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
коло́ть
(kolótʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
расщепля́ть
(rasščepljátʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Russian:
расщепи́ть
(rasščepítʹ)
— transitive to split or sever
Samoan:
tofi
— transitive to split or sever
Sanskrit:
भिनत्ति
(bhinatti)
— transitive to split or sever
Sanskrit:
तृन्त्ते
(tṛntte)
— transitive to split or sever
Slovak:
prerezať
— transitive to split or sever
Slovak:
rozsekať
— transitive to split or sever
Slovak:
rozrezať
— transitive to split or sever
Spanish:
hender
— transitive to split or sever
Swedish:
klyva
— transitive to split or sever
Tahitian:
tohi
— transitive to split or sever
Turkish:
yarmak
— transitive to split or sever
Ottoman Turkish:
یارمق
(yarmak)
— transitive to split or sever
Ukrainian:
розко́лювати
(rozkóljuvaty)
— transitive to split or sever
Ukrainian:
розще́плювати
(rozščépljuvaty)
— transitive to split or sever
Ukrainian:
розщепи́ти
(rozščepýty)
— transitive to split or sever
Ukrainian:
коло́ти
(kolóty)
— transitive to split or sever