Cleavage
/ˈkliː.vɪdʒ/noun
The action of splitting or the state of being split, especially in geology or biology.
Did you know?Originally related to the act of splitting rocks, 'cleavage' has evolved to encompass everything from geology to fashion, hinting at the power of separation and attraction in nature and society.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kleu̯-
“to split or break apart”
Old English
Old English
cleofan
“to cleave or split”
Middle English
Middle English
cleven
“to split or divide”
16th Century
English
cleavage
“the act of splitting, especially in reference to physical separation or division”