In general, a sieve separates wanted/desired elements from unwanted material using a tool such as a mesh, net or other filtration or distillation methods, but it is also used for classification of powders by particle size, or for size measurement as an analytical technique. The word "sift" derives from this term. A strainer is a type of sieve typically associated with separating liquids from solids.

Sieve may mean:

Cooking

• Colander, a (typically) bowl-shaped sieve used as a strainer in cooking
• Chinoise, or conical sieve used as a strainer, also sometimes used like a food mill
• Tamis, also known as a drum sieve
• Zaru, or bamboo sieve, used in Japanese cooking
• Flour sifter, used in baking
• Mesh strainer, or just "strainer," usually consisting of a fine metal mesh screen on a metal frame
• Spider, used in Chinese cooking
• Tea strainer, specifically intended for use when making tea
• Cocktail strainer, a bar accessory

Chemistry

• Sieving coefficient, in transport phenomena

Mathematics

• Sieve theory, a technique for counting or filtering sets of numbers
• Sieve of Eratosthenes
• General number field sieve
• Large sieve
• Sieve (category theory), a way of writing down how objects in a category glue to give other one

Computer science

• Sieve (mail filtering language), a proposed standard for specifying mail filters
• Sieve C++ Parallel Programming System, an auto-parallelizing compiler for C++

Other uses

• In plumbing, a Stainless steel strainer
• On rivers, a sieve or strainer is a dangerous obstacle that water can pass through, but people cannot. See Obstacle in whitewater canoing
• Sieve River, a river in Italy
• In sports such as hockey or lacrosse, "sieve" is a common slang term used when referring to a goaltender who allows many goals.
• In medicine, a "surgical seive" refers to a very general list of diagnostic or pathological headings, against which any finding can be compared.