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kloof

(South Africa) A deep glen or ravine.

klufCurrent138 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
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Seen in the wild
3 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

#1·Apr 27, 2026

(South Africa) A deep glen or ravine.

Forming the south boundary of the valley is a range of disrupted bushy hills, with intervening deep and rugged kloofs and ravines, which constituted the retreat of Jan Pockbaas and his rebel banditti.
Origin: Borrowed from (South Africa).. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"kloof" means: A deep glen or ravine.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"kloof" means: A deep glen or ravine.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Heard in the wild
  • “Fiscus vergroot soms kloof: CPB over inkomensverschil”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Overigens zijn er ook nadelen, o.a. de kloof tussen insiders en outsiders. En het systeem lukt doordat de gemeente de grond goedkoop gekocht heeft. Dat kun je in Nederland moeilijk kopiëren.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “De middenklasse krimpt. Lonen stijgen niet. En nu wordt ook bijscholing een luxe. Wie niet kan betalen, blijft achter. Wie wel kan betalen, loopt vooruit. De kloof groeit – en dat is precies de bedoeling.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers

"kloof" means: A deep glen or ravine.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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