1570s, alteration (by influence of cleft, new weak past participle of cleave (v.1)), of Middle English clift (early 14c.), from Old English geclyft (adj.) "split, cloven," from Proto-Germanic *kluftis (cognates: Old High German and German kluft, Danish kl?ft "cleft"), from PIE *gleubh- (see glyph). In Middle English anatomy, it meant "the parting of the thighs" (early 14c.).
cleft (adj.)
late 14c., past participle adjective from cleave (v.1)). Cleft palate attested from 1828.
雙語例句
1. a cleft in the rocks
巖石的裂縫
來自《權威詞典》
2. Their baby had an operation to repair a cleft palate.