Cleft Palate
/ˌklɛft ˈpælət/noun
A congenital opening in the roof of the mouth caused by incomplete fusion during fetal development.
Did you know?The word “palate” is historically linked to the Latin name for the roof of the mouth, while “cleft” belongs to an ancient family of words connected with splitting and carving.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gleubh-
“To split, cleave, or carve; the reconstructed root behind “cleft.””
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*klufti
“A split, cleft, or fissure.”
Old English
Old English
clēofan
“To split or cleave apart; the ancestor of “cleave” and related forms.”
Middle English
Middle English
clift
“A fissure or split; the source of modern “cleft.””
Latin
Latin
palātum
“The roof of the mouth.”
Old French
Old French
palat
“The palate or roof of the mouth, borrowed from Latin.”
Modern English
English
cleft palate
“A medical term for an opening in the roof of the mouth resulting from incomplete fetal fusion.”