cleavage, noun

Origin:
EnglishShow more Special sense of general English cleavage tendency of crystals to split along definite planes.
Diamond-trade
Small broken diamonds of more than one carat in weight. See also melee, stone.
1913 J.B. Mannix Mines & their Story 149Rough diamonds direct from the mines are, for gem-cutting purposes, divided into two classes, ‘close’ and ‘cleavage’...‘Cleavages’ are crystals of a shape unsuitable for cutting as they stand. They are split before passing into the cutter’s hands.
1969 J.M. White Land God Made in Anger 279There are also special terms for diamonds classified by weight, 142 carats being reckoned to the ounce. Small diamonds of less than a carat are known as ‘melée’, while broken stones are described as ‘chips’ if of melée size, and ‘cleavages’ if larger.
1971 Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. IV. 19There are six major cutting centres in the world:..Each centre has gradually, over the years, come to specialise in cutting diamonds of a particular quality. Cleavages and chips are, in the main, worked in Antwerp: stones and shapes in U.S.A.; melee in Amsterdam, Israel and Western Germany.
Small broken diamonds of more than one carat in weight.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19131971

Browse Related Words

By Category

Mining

By Origin

English
clear, verb intransitivev.clever, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English