An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Sieb

by Friedrich Kluge

Sieb, n., ‘sieve,’ from the equiv. MidHG. sip (b), OHG. sib, n.; comp. the equiv. Du. zeef (and zift); AS. sife, n., E. sieve; derived, like siftan, ‘to sift’ (see sichten), from a root sib (seb), which is not found elsewhere.