CLEFT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cleft mean? 

• CLEFT (noun)
  The noun CLEFT has 2 senses:

1. a split or indentation in something (as the palate or chin)

2. a long narrow opening

  Familiarity information: CLEFT used as a noun is rare.

• CLEFT (adjective)
  The adjective CLEFT has 2 senses:

1. split or divided

2. having one or more indentations reaching nearly to the midrib

  Familiarity information: CLEFT used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLEFT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A split or indentation in something (as the palate or chin)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("cleft" is a kind of...):

indentation; indenture (a concave cut into a surface or edge (as in a coastline))

Derivation:

cleave (separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument)

cleave (make by cutting into)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A long narrow opening

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

cleft; crack; crevice; fissure; scissure

Hypernyms ("cleft" is a kind of...):

gap; opening (an open or empty space in or between things)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cleft"):

chap (a crack in a lip caused usually by cold)

chink (a narrow opening as e.g. between planks in a wall)

crevasse (a deep fissure)

fatigue crack (a crack in metal resulting from metal fatigue)

break; fault; faulting; fracture; geological fault; shift ((geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other)

rift (a narrow fissure in rock)

slit (a narrow fissure)

split (a lengthwise crack in wood)

vent; volcano (a fissure in the earth's crust (or in the surface of some other planet) through which molten lava and gases erupt)

• CLEFT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Split or divided

Context example:

a cleft stick

Similar:

divided (separated into parts or pieces)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having one or more indentations reaching nearly to the midrib

Synonyms:

cleft; dissected

Similar:

compound (composed of more than one part)

 Context examples 

Children with a cleft lip also can have a cleft palate.

(Cleft Lip and Palate, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Cidoxepin may inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline from the synaptic cleft, thereby increasing their activity.

(Cidoxepin, NCI Thesaurus)

It is characterized by the presence of a double layer of epithelial cells that are arranged in clefts, surrounded by a spindle cell mesenchymal (stromal) component.

(Breast Phyllodes Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

The region consisting of the vestibulum oris, the narrow cleft between the lips and cheeks, and the teeth and gums, and the cavitas oris propria.

(Buccal Cavity, NCI Thesaurus)

It has a large nucleus without clefts, finely dispersed chromatin, and a rim of basophilic cytoplasm.

(Centroblast, NCI Thesaurus)

Inhibition of serotonin recycling enhances serotonergic function through serotonin accumulation in the synaptic cleft, which resulting in long-term desensitization and downregulation of 5HT1 (serotonin) receptors and leading to symptomatic relief of depressive illness.

(Paroxetine Mesylate, NCI Thesaurus)

A rare syndrome characterized by the presence of omphalocele, anterior diaphragmatic hernia, sternal cleft, ectopia cordis, and ventricular septal defect or left ventricle diverticulum.

(Pentalogy of Cantrell, NCI Thesaurus)

A rare congenital malformation characterized by micrognathia, posterior retraction of the tongue, and cleft palate.

(Pierre Robin Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

Inhibition of serotonin recycling enhances serotonergic function through serotonin accumulation in the synaptic cleft, resulting in long-term desensitization and downregulation of 5HT1 (serotonin) receptors and leading to symptomatic relief of depressive illness.

(Paroxetine hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

This leads to an accumulation of the respective neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft and may result in increased postsynaptic receptor activation.

(Cocaine, NCI Thesaurus)