English–French

“cleave” in French

French

Pronunciation

IPA/puʁfɑ̃dʁ/

Example

Le chevalier pourfend l'ennemi d'un seul coup.

The knight cleaves the enemy with a single blow.

Illustration for pourfendre (cleave)

How to say “cleave” in French

“Cleave” in French is pourfendre.

A forceful blade stroke that drives through a solid target and splits it.

Full entry for pourfendre: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with pourfendre

En cuisine, il pourfend le rôti pour le servir.

In cooking, he slices through the roast to serve it.

Tips for using pourfendre

  • Pourfendre follows the fendre pattern in the present tense, giving je pourfends, tu pourfends, and il pourfend.

“cleave” in other languages