cleavage

noun

cleav·age | \ ˈklē-vij

Definition of cleavage

1a : the quality of a crystallized substance or rock of splitting along definite planes also : the occurrence of such splitting

b : a fragment (as of a diamond) obtained by splitting

2 : the action of cleaving or splitting : the state of being cleft

3 : the series of synchronized mitotic cell divisions of a fertilized egg that results in the formation of the blastomeres and changes the single-celled zygote into a multicellular embryo also : one of these cell divisions

4 : the splitting of a molecule into simpler molecules

5 : the depression between a woman's breasts especially when made visible by a low-cut neckline

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about cleavage

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Examples of cleavage in a Sentence

The dress is cut low enough to reveal a lot of cleavage. the cleavage between the rich and poor the cleavages of an egg as an embryo develops

Recent Examples on the Web

As the ’90s rolled around, bras became much more about exaggerated cleavage, padding, and the thin foam lining. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "Meet the Stylist Who Made Baby Tees Happen in the ’90s," 6 Aug. 2018 Photos containing a bit of skin in leather tights or cleavage such as in a Fashion Week show were also flagged, despite not fitting Tumblr’s definition of adult content. — Shannon Liao, The Verge, "Tumblr porn vanishes today," 17 Dec. 2018 There’s an amazing photo of the two of them attending a theater performance in 1952 in which Margaret is wearing a strappy, cleavage-baring black dress and cradling her signature cigarette holder. — Alison S. Cohn, Harper's BAZAAR, "'The Crown' Star Vanessa Kirby Opens Up About Princess Margaret's Life-Changing Wardrobe," 17 July 2018 Malik is not alone in his unabashed love of man cleavage. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Zayn Malik Takes a Page Out of Harry Styles’s Playbook," 13 Dec. 2018 All the broadband in the world won’t change this cleavage. — Jon Talton, The Seattle Times, "In America’s ‘geography of despair,’ how to help the left-behind places?," 21 Nov. 2018 As this is a reputable newspaper, let’s use a more genteel term for the fleshy space: buttock cleavage. — John Kass, chicagotribune.com, "For Mayor Globe-trotter, it's the money that matters," 13 July 2018 During the ‘50s, actresses had to be careful about showing cleavage in a bathing suit. — Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, "Elizabeth Taylor's 'Suddenly, Last Summer' was nearly banned over racy white swimsuit, author reveals," 11 July 2018 Cups are fully adhesive and have clips in the front to create more cleavage. — Annie James, Cosmopolitan, "I Tried 16 Sticky Bras — Here Are the Ones That Actually Worked," 24 Feb. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cleavage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Statistics for cleavage

Last Updated

13 Mar 2019

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Time Traveler for cleavage

The first known use of cleavage was in 1816

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More Definitions for cleavage

cleavage

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cleavage

informal : the space between a woman's breasts especially when it can be easily seen

: a division between two things or groups

technical : the act of splitting apart

See the full definition for cleavage in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cleavage

noun

cleav·age | \ ˈklē-vij

Kids Definition of cleavage

1 : the tendency of a rock or mineral to split readily in one or more directions

2 : the action of splitting

3 : the state of being split

cleavage

noun

cleav·age | \ ˈklē-vij

Medical Definition of cleavage

1 : the series of synchronized mitotic cell divisions of the fertilized egg that results in the formation of the blastomeres and changes the single-celled zygote into a multicellular embryo also : one of these cell divisions

2 : the splitting of a molecule into simpler molecules