sieve

1 of 2

noun

ˈsiv 

: a device with meshes or perforations through which finer particles of a mixture (as of ashes, flour, or sand) of various sizes may be passed to separate them from coarser ones, through which the liquid may be drained from liquid-containing material, or through which soft materials may be forced for reduction to fine particles

sieve

2 of 2

verb

sieved; sieving

: sift

Examples of sieve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

If using regular yogurt, strain it in a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth for about 30 minutes to remove excess liquid. —Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Mar. 2026

Sift flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt through a coarse-mesh sieve onto a piece of parchment. —Sarah Carey, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026

Verb

Customers who are familiar with her work locally will stand in long lines to get her goods, which often sell out quickly Huynh said Chaung’s taro cakes are made by steaming and sieving the purple Southeast Asian vegetable to make a mix into the dough. —Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026

The mixture is then sieved to produce a smooth, drinkable liquid. —Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sive, from Old English sife; akin to Old High German sib sieve

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sieve

• have a memory/mind like a sieve
• molecular sieve
• sieve of Eratosthenes
• sieve plate
• sieve tube

Rhymes for sieve

• give
• corroborative
• determinative
• forgive
• ogive
• outlive
• relive
• germinative
• transformative
• resistive

Kids Definition

sieve

1 of 2 noun

ˈsiv 

: a device with meshes or holes to separate finer particles from coarser ones or solids from liquids

sieve

2 of 2 verb

sieved; sieving

: to put through a sieve : sift

sieve the tomatoes to remove the seeds