cleaver

noun

cleav·​er ˈklē-vər 

1

: one that cleaves

especially : a butcher's implement for cutting animal carcasses into joints or pieces

2

: a prehistoric stone tool having a sharp edge at one end

Examples of cleaver in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pike and Shipp were convicted of murdering Slemmer torturously using weapons such as a meat cleaver, a box cutter, and a piece of asphalt. — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026

Before leaving the Knoxville Job Corps campus, Pike armed herself with a box cutter and small meat cleaver, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026

Chinese cleavers, on the other hand, are thin and sharp, designed for precision push cuts. — Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026

The victim was stabbed in the head, arm and chest with a meat cleaver. — ABC News, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cleaver

• fever
• leaver
• weaver
• achiever
• believer
• deceiver
• perceiver
• receiver
• reliever
• retriever
• transceiver
• unbeliever

Kids Definition

cleaver

noun

cleav·​er ˈklē-vər 

: a heavy knife with a wide blade