noun · verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:/ˈwɪnoʊ/
UK:/ˈwɪnəʊ/
rhymes with -ɪnəʊ
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:W IH1 N OW2
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
That which winnows or which is used in winnowing; a contrivance for fanning or winnowing grain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The act of winnowing
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Qualifier: literal
Topics: agriculture, business, lifestyle
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: wind
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To separate, sift, analyse, or test by separating items having different values.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Examples
They winnowed the field to twelve.
They winnowed the winners from the losers.
They winnowed the losers from the winners.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: comb out
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To blow upon or toss about by blowing; to set in motion as with a fan or wings.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: literary, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To move about with a flapping motion, as of wings; to flutter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, intransitive, literary
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
the act of separating grain from chaff
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the winnowing was done by women
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: winnowing, sifting
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: separation
8
verb
Meaning 8
blow away or off with a current of air
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
winnow chaff
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: remove, take, take away, withdraw
9
verb
Meaning 9
select desirable parts from a group or list
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
cull out the interesting letters from the poet's correspondence
winnow the finalists from the long list of applicants
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cull out
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: choose, take, select, pick out
10
verb
Meaning 10
separate the chaff from by using air currents
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
She stood there winnowing chaff all day in the field
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fan
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sift, sieve, strain
11
verb
Meaning 11
blow on
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The wind was winnowing her hair
the wind winnowed the grass
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fan
History
Etymology
From Middle English wyndwen, from Old English windwian (“to winnow, fan, ventilate”), from Proto-West Germanic *windwōn, from Proto-Germanic *windwōną, *winþijaną (“to throw about, winnow”), from Proto-Indo-European *wē- (“to winnow, thresh”). Cognate with West Frisian wynje (“to winnow”), dialectal Dutch winden, winnen (“to winnow”), Middle High German winden (“to winnow”), Icelandic vinsa (“to pick out, weed”), Latin vannus (“a winnowing basket”). See fan, van.
Across languages
Translations
144 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Ainu:
ムイ
(mui)
— something that winnows
Northern Altai:
эскин
(eskin)
— something that winnows
Southern Altai:
эскин
(eskin)
— something that winnows
Southern Altai:
веялка
(veyalka)
— something that winnows
Northern Amami Ōshima:
さんばら
(sanbara)
— something that winnows
Arabic:
ذَرَّايَة
(ḏarrāya)
— something that winnows
Arabic:
مِذْرَاة
(miḏrāh)
— something that winnows
Arabic:
مِنْفَض
(minfaḍ)
— something that winnows
Bulgarian:
веялка
(vejalka)
— something that winnows
Bulgarian:
веячка
(vejačka)
— something that winnows
Chinese Mandarin:
箕
(jī)
— something that winnows
Czech:
vějička
— something that winnows
Czech:
fukar
— something that winnows
Czech:
čistící stroj
— something that winnows
Dutch:
wan
— something that winnows
French:
tarare
— something that winnows
French:
van
— something that winnows
French:
crible
— something that winnows
Galician:
xoeira
— something that winnows
Galician:
cribo
— something that winnows
Japanese:
箕
(mi)
— something that winnows
Korean:
사래질하다
(saraejilhada)
— something that winnows
Kumyk:
елпивюч
(yelpiwüç)
— something that winnows
Kumyk:
веялка
(weyalka)
— something that winnows
Kunigami:
箕笊筒
— something that winnows
Macedonian:
веалка
(vealka)
— something that winnows
Māori:
kōwhiuwhiu
— something that winnows
Miyako:
箕
(mui)
— something that winnows
Occitan:
ventador
— something that winnows
Okinawan:
箕笊筒
(mīzōkī)
— something that winnows
Okinoerabu:
はら
(hara)
— something that winnows
Polish:
wiejadło
— something that winnows
Portuguese:
joeira
— something that winnows
Russian:
ве́ялка
(véjalka)
— something that winnows
Tamil:
முறம்
(muṟam)
— something that winnows
Tokunoshima:
はーら
(hāra)
— something that winnows
Turkish:
atkı
— something that winnows
Turkish:
yaba
— something that winnows
Ukrainian:
віялка
(vijalka)
— something that winnows
Yaeyama:
笊筒
(sōgi)
— something that winnows
Yonaguni:
御御
(umui)
— something that winnows
Albanian:
përbyk
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Southern Altai:
эзер
(ezer)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Southern Altai:
собырар
(sobïrar)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Arabic:
ذَرَّى
(ḏarrā)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Arabic:
نَسَفَ
(nasafa)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Azerbaijani:
sovurmaq
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Belarusian:
ве́яць
(vjéjacʹ)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Central Bikol:
tahop
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Breton:
gwentañ
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Bulgarian:
ве́я
(véja)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Bulgarian:
отвявам
(otvjavam)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Bulgarian:
овявам
(ovjavam)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Bulgarian:
овя
(ovja)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Catalan:
ventar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Chinese Mandarin:
簸
(bǒ)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ngazidja Comorian:
upveresa
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ngazidja Comorian:
utsepva
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Czech:
rozvívat
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Czech:
fukarovat
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Czech:
oddělovat zrno od plev
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Dutch:
wannen
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Finnish:
tuultaa
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Finnish:
viskata
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
French:
vanner
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Galician:
erguer
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Galician:
abalear
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Galician:
alzar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Galician:
escribar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
German:
worfeln
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
German:
windsichten
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
German:
trennen
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ancient Greek:
λικμάω
(likmáō)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ancient Greek:
πτίσσω
(ptíssō)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Hebrew:
זָרָה
(zara)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ingrian:
poohtaa
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Kazakh:
желпу
(jelpu)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Kazakh:
екшеу
(ekşeu)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Kazakh:
ұшыру
(ūşyru)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Khün:
ᨺᩢ᩠ᨯ
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Kyrgyz:
эсүү
(esüü)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Lao:
ຝັດ
(fat)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Latin:
ventilo
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Latvian:
vētīt
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Lü:
ᦚᧆ
(ḟad)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Macedonian:
вее
(vee)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Malay:
tampi
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Māori:
kōwhiuwhiu
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Occitan:
ventar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Occitan:
vanar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Occitan:
porgar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Church Slavic:
вѣꙗти
(vějati)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Old East Slavic:
вѣꙗти
(vějati)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Persian:
غربال کردن
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Polish:
wiać
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Portuguese:
joeirar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Russian:
ве́ять
(véjatʹ)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Russian:
отве́ивать
(otvéivatʹ)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Russian:
отве́ять
(otvéjatʹ)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Shan:
ၽတ်း
(phát)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Slovak:
viať
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Spanish:
ahechar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Spanish:
cribar
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Tamil:
புடை
(puṭai)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Tamil:
தூற்று
(tūṟṟu)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Tamil:
நேம்பு
(nēmpu)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Telugu:
చెరుగు
(cerugu)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Thai:
ฝัด
(fàt)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Northern Thai:
ᨺᩢ᩠ᨯ
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Turkish:
harman savurmak
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ottoman Turkish:
صاورمق
(savurmak)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ottoman Turkish:
یابالامق
(yabalamak)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Ukrainian:
ві́яти
(víjaty)
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Vietnamese:
sàng
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Yoruba:
fẹ́
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Yoruba:
fẹ́kà
— to separate the heavier and lighter with a current of air
Bulgarian:
пресявам
(presjavam)
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Czech:
probrat
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Czech:
protřídit
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Czech:
vytřídit
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Czech:
třídit
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Finnish:
seuloa
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
French:
séparer
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
German:
trennen
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
German:
separieren
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
German:
aussortieren
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
German:
sichten
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Kazakh:
ақ-қарасын ажырату
(aq-qarasyn ajyratu)
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Kazakh:
елеп-екшеу
(elep-ekşeu)
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Occitan:
separar
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Occitan:
analisar
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Polish:
odsiewać
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Polish:
odsiać
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Portuguese:
joeirar
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Spanish:
separar
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Spanish:
cribar
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Spanish:
hacer la criba
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Spanish:
separar el grano de la paja
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Swedish:
sålla
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Tamil:
பிரி
(piri)
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Tamil:
பகு
(paku)
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Turkish:
ayırmak
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Turkish:
inceleyip ayıklamak
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
Ukrainian:
відсівати
(vidsivaty)
— figuratively: to separate, sift, analyze, test
