Seive
/siːv/noun
A chiefly dialectal or obsolete variant spelling of “sieve,” a perforated utensil used to separate particles by size.
Did you know?In classical and later European traditions, sieve divination—known as coscinomancy—was used to investigate accusations or seek supernatural answers.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*seib-
“To pour out, trickle, or pass through; the reconstructed root associated with filtering and seepage.”
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*sībō
“A sieve or strainer.”
Old English
Old English
sife
“A sieve, a perforated tool for separating finer material.”
Middle English
Middle English
sive / seive
“A sieve; spelling varied substantially in Middle English manuscripts.”
Modern English
English
seive
“An obsolete or dialectal variant of “sieve,” now commonly treated as a misspelling outside regional or historical use.”