cloven hoof
noun
1
: a foot (as of a sheep) divided into two parts at its distal extremity
2
[from the traditional representation of Satan as cloven-hoofed] : the sign of devilish character
cloven-hoofed
ˈklō-vən-ˌhu̇ft 
adjective -ˌhüft
-ˌhu̇vd
-ˌhüvd
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web But after the release of their 2010 debut album Opus Eponymous — a theatrical metal masterpiece about the coming of the Antichrist — something peculiar began to happen with Ghost: Forge dipped a cloven hoof into social and political commentary. 
Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2022 Leaving cloven hoof prints from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, more than 3,500 musk oxen live in Alaska. Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, 3 July 2021 This story has everything: cloven hooves on the run, a major urban city, an air of mystery—and all without animal carnage or service interruptions? Cady Drell, Marie Claire, 21 Aug. 2018 Their bodies are built for harsh desert conditions, from their cloven hooves and extra-long eyelashes to their cactus-chewing mouths. Elaina Zachos, National Geographic, 30 May 2018 In contrast, cloven hooves are an external characteristic. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Jewish Journal, 9 Apr. 2018 To the Jewish-controlled press: as a creature with horns, a cloven hoof, and a long tail. Philip Bump, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2017 See More
Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2022 Leaving cloven hoof prints from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, more than 3,500 musk oxen live in Alaska. Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, 3 July 2021 This story has everything: cloven hooves on the run, a major urban city, an air of mystery—and all without animal carnage or service interruptions? Cady Drell, Marie Claire, 21 Aug. 2018 Their bodies are built for harsh desert conditions, from their cloven hooves and extra-long eyelashes to their cactus-chewing mouths. Elaina Zachos, National Geographic, 30 May 2018 In contrast, cloven hooves are an external characteristic. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Jewish Journal, 9 Apr. 2018 To the Jewish-controlled press: as a creature with horns, a cloven hoof, and a long tail. Philip Bump, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2017 See More Word History
First Known Use
1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
cloven hoof
noun
: a hoof (as of a sheep or cow) with the front part divided into two sections
Medical Definition
cloven hoof
noun
: cloven foot