winnow

Meanings

Verb

• To subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff.
• To separate, sift, analyze, or test by separating items having different values.
• To blow upon or toss about by blowing; to set in motion as with a fan or wings.
• To move about with a flapping motion, as of wings; to flutter.

Noun

• That which winnows or which is used in winnowing; a contrivance for fanning or winnowing grain.
• The act of winnowing

Related

Narrower meaning words

• winnow down

Origin

• From Middle English winewen, windewen, windwen, from Old English windwian, from Proto-Germanic *windwōną, *winþijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *wē-. Cognate with Middle High German winden, Icelandic vinsa, Latin vannus. See fan, van.