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cleavage

/ˈklivɪdʒ/
/ˈklivɪdʒ/
IPA guide

Other forms: cleavages

Cleavage is a word for a kind of splitting or separation: it's mainly used for the split between a woman's breasts.

We can talk about many kinds of cleavage, such as the splitting of a cell or a hunk of wood. Political movements will often have a cleavage, as differences of opinion create factions. This word is interesting because cleavage is not only a separation, but it can mean a bringing together. When you think of the cleavage created by a woman's breasts — stop staring, by the way — you can see the separation and bringing together very well.

Definitions of cleavage
  1. noun
    the act of cleaving or splitting
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    type of:
    division
    the act or process of dividing
  2. noun
    the breaking of a chemical bond in a molecule resulting in smaller molecules
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    type of:
    chemical action, chemical change, chemical process
    (chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved
  3. noun
    (embryology) the repeated division of a fertilised ovum
    synonyms: segmentation
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    type of:
    cell division, cellular division
    the process in reproduction and growth by which a cell divides to form daughter cells
  4. noun
    the state of being split or cleft
    “there was a cleavage between the liberal and conservative members”
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    type of:
    state
    the way something is with respect to its main attributes
  5. noun
    the line formed by a groove between two parts (especially the separation between a woman's breasts)
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    type of:
    area, region
    a part of an animal that has a special function or is supplied by a given artery or nerve
Pronunciation
US
/ˈklivɪdʒ/
UK
/ˈklivɪdʒ/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘cleavage'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of gold-punch.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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