winnower
/ˈwɪnoʊər/
noun
- A person or thing that separates the valuable part of something from the unwanted part, especially in farming by separating grain from chaff.
- The winnower used a large fan to blow the chaff away from the wheat.
- In ancient times, a winnower would toss grain into the air so the wind could carry off the lighter husks.
- The new machine is an efficient winnower that processes hundreds of pounds of rice per hour.