2 syllables: Cleav, age. Stress on Cleav.
KLEE-vuhj
/ˈklivədʒ/
Cleavage is pronounced KLEE-vuhj (/ˈklivədʒ/). It has two syllables (Cleav-age), with the stress on "Cleav". Cleavage is the noun referring to the natural separation or opening in a surface or material, most often used for the space between a person’s breasts as a form of clothing display, or more broadly to any division or exposure revealing interior structure. It can also denote a split or opening created by a cut, fracture, or cleavage in geological or material contexts. The term implies a distinct, noticeable separation.
nounCleavage is the noun referring to the natural separation or opening in a surface or material, most often used for the space between a person’s breasts as a form of clothing display, or more broadly to any division or exposure revealing interior structure. It can also denote a split or opening created by a cut, fracture, or cleavage in geological or material contexts. The term implies a distinct, noticeable separation.
"Her dress showed a subtle cleavage at the neckline."
"Geologists examined the cleavage planes in the mineral sample."
"The necklace sat perfectly within the cleavage of the blouse."
Cleavage is pronounced /ˈklɪvɪdʒ/ in US and UK English. The stress is on the first syllable: CLIH-vidge. Break it as two beats: /ˈklɪ/ + /vɪdʒ/. The middle vowel is a short, lax /ɪ/. The final sound is the
Common errors include: (1) Misplacing the stressed syllable, pronouncing it as /kləˈvɪdʒ/ with stress on the second syllable; (2) Turning the final -age into a /z/ or /s/ sound instead of /dʒ/. Correct by enforcing /dʒ/ as in junction; (3) Slurring the /ɪ/ into /iː/ making /ˈklivɪdʒ/ sound like /ˈklividiː/. Practice with minimal pairs to fix vowel length and consonant voicing.
Across US/UK/AU, the word remains rhotic with /r/ absent; US and UK share /ˈklɪvɪdʒ/. Australian often has a slightly more centralized vowel quality in the /ɪ/ and a flatter /æ/ in nearby words, but cleavage remains with /ˈklɪvɪdʒ/. The main variance is subtle rounding or vowel reduction in rapid speech rather than a different phoneme set. The final /dʒ/ remains the same in all three accents.
Difficulties come from the consonant cluster /kl/ at the start, the short /ɪ/ vowel in two successive syllables, and the final /dʒ/ affricate. The sequence requires precise tongue positioning: a light /k/ release into /l/ with a quick transition to /ɪ/ then an affricate /dʒ/. Final /ʒ/ or /ʒ/? It’s /dʒ/ as in judge, which is easy to mispronounce as /ʒ/ alone. Practicing the full sequence helps reduce substitution errors.
Does the presence of the 'e' at the end influence pronunciation? No. In English, the final -age is pronounced as /ɪdʒ/? In 'cleavage', the final sound is /dʒ/ following the vowel /ɪ/; the -age yields the /dʒ/ sound, not a separate vowel. The word ends with the affricate /dʒ/, not a separate syllable vowel, so the 'e' is silent.
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US: rhotic; UK: non-rhotic but the /r/ isn’t present; AU: similar to UK with slightly broader vowels. Vowel: /ɪ/ in both US/UK/AU is a near-close near-front vowel. Consonants: /kl/ onset bursts with strong aspiration on /k/; /l/ is light, alveolar. The final /dʒ/ is voiced, post-alveolar; avoid lip rounding. In rapid speech, the /l/ may darken slightly; keep the tongue at the alveolar ridge for /dʒ/. IPA references provided.
Cleavage comes from the Old French crevage, which itself derives from crever ‘to break, crack,’ from Latin fracare ‘to break’ or frangere ‘to break,’ combined with the French suffix -age indicating a state or condition. In Late Middle English, cleavage appeared in the sense of a crack or split in a material, gradually expanding to describe geological planes of weakness and, in modern usage, the anatomical and clothing-related sense. The term evolved to emphasize an intentional or visible separation, particularly in fabrics showing a neckline or a natural fracture. First known usage in English dates to the 15th century in reference to a crack or crevice, later adopting specialized senses in geology, anatomy, and fashion, with the clothing sense gaining prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries as fashion terminology became common in everyday language.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Cleavage" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Cleavage" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Cleavage"
-eve sounds
-ave sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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