cleft (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict[cleft 词源字典]
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 kløft "cleft"), from PIE *gleubh- (see glyph). In Middle English anatomy, it meant "the parting of the thighs" (early 14c.).[cleft etymology, cleft origin, 英语词源]
cleft (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
late 14c., past participle adjective from cleave (v.1)). Cleft palate attested from 1828.