A deep opening or split, especially in the chin, palate, or a piece of rock.
From Old English 'clyfan' (to split). Past tense of 'cleave'; the word literally describes something that has been cleaved or split apart.
Cleft palate affected about 1 in 700 births historically, and ancient cultures often saw it as a sign of special powers—some shamans were said to have been marked this way, turning a medical condition into spiritual prestige.
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