Sieve-Like
/ˈsiːv.laɪk/noun
Resembling a sieve; full of small holes or capable of letting things pass through.
Did you know?The core word *sieve* goes back to an ancient Germanic root for a strainer, and its job—separating the pure from the impure—made it a powerful metaphor in ritual, cooking, and even judgment.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
sife
“A sieve or strainer.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sebō
“A sieve or strainer.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sei-
“To sift, pour, or let flow.”
Middle English
ME
sivelike
“Having the nature or appearance of a sieve.”
Modern English
English
sieve-like
“Resembling a sieve; perforated or porous.”