In Persian literature, a chin dimple or chin pit is considered the mark of beauty. The term 'chin pit' or 'chin well' is a metaphor referring to the pit or well into which a head over heels lover has fallen and is trapped. Love song singer Adele says, "I've got no problem explaining what my lyrics are about. I really like poetry. I'm not very good at reading it, but I love writing it."

The terms cleft chin, chin cleft, dimple chin, or chin dimple, refer to a dimple on the center of the chin. It is a Y-shaped fissure on the chin with an underlying peculiar indentation on the bone itself. The chin fissure follows the fissure that is on the lower jaw bone that resulted from the incomplete fusion of the left and right halves of the jaw bone, or the muscle, during the embryonal and fetal development.

For some people, a cleft chin can develop over time, because one half of the jaw is longer than the other, leading to facial asymmetry. In embryonic or fetal development as the two halves of this individual were coming together the fusion was a little off center resulting in a dimple. This could also be a result of both sides of the muscle being off when they formed together at the center of the chin.

The cleft chin is an inherited trait in humans, where the dominant gene causes a cleft chin, while the recessive genotype will present without a cleft. Everyone inherits two sets of genes that determine the shape of their chin, with one from each parent. The partner's genetic makeup will factor into whether the children will have a cleft chin or a smooth one. If both partners have inherited two cleft chin genes, then the likelihood of the children having a cleft chin is 100 percent.