Cribble
/ˈkrɪbəl/noun
An obsolete verb meaning to sift or separate by passing through a sieve.
Did you know?Cribble comes from the same Latin sieve-root found in technical words describing porous, sieve-like structures in anatomy and biology.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
cribrum
“A sieve or strainer used to separate fine material from coarse matter.”
Late Latin
Latin
cribellum
“A small sieve; a diminutive form of cribrum.”
Old French
Old French
crible
“A sieve or the act of sifting.”
Middle English
Middle English
crible
“To sift or strain through a sieve.”
15th–16th Century
English
cribble
“To sift, screen, or separate material; now obsolete.”
Modern English
English
cribble
“An obsolete or dialectal word for sifting or screening.”
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