A cloven hoof is a type of foot found on certain animals, where the hoof is split into two distinct parts or toes. Cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer all have cloven hooves. If you look at a cow's foot, you'll see that instead of one solid hoof like a horse has, the hoof divides down the middle into two separate sections.

This split design helps these animals walk on different types of terrain. The two parts can spread slightly when the animal steps on soft ground like mud, giving it better balance and preventing it from sinking. Mountain goats use their cloven hooves to grip rocky surfaces as they climb steep cliffs.

The term appears often in older literature and religious texts. In some traditions, animals with cloven hooves were considered clean for eating, while in folklore, cloven hooves became associated with devils and demons, which were sometimes depicted as having goat-like feet. When you see an illustration of a devil with split hooves, that's a cloven hoof.

You might also see the phrase cloven-hoofed used as an adjective to describe these animals.