Google

American  

[goo-guhl] / ˈgu gəl /

Trademark.

1. the brand name for a leading internet search engine, founded in 1998.

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verb (used with object)

Googled, Googling

1. (often lowercase) to search the internet for information about (a person, topic, etc.).

   We googled the new applicant to check her background.

verb (used without object)

Googled, Googling

1. (often lowercase) to use a search engine such as Google to find information, a website address, etc., on the internet.

Google British  

/ ˈɡuːɡəl /

noun

1. a popular search engine on the internet

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verb

1. to search for (something on the internet) using a search engine

2. to check (the credentials of someone) by searching for websites containing his or her name

Etymology

Origin of Google

First recorded in 1998; after mathematical term googol

Explanation

To google is to use an online search engine to find some piece of information. You might google your favorite author to find out what other books she's written. Searching the Internet for answers to questions, details about people, map directions, and other information is a common activity for most of us, and since the 1990s, most of us have come to use the verb google to describe it. The verb comes from the Google search engine, first active in 1997, although until about 2000 it was mostly used in the phrase "Do a google on."

Example Sentences

With the improvements, Google said, the inference chip’s performance-per-dollar is 80% better compared with the previous Ironwood TPU, meaning users can meet nearly twice the demand at the same cost.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

One of the biggest recent concerns for some investors is that Apple has lagged behind its rivals, such as OpenAI and Google, when it comes to advancing artificial intelligence.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Unlike Nvidia, Google does not sell its TPUs to external customers, though AI startup Anthropic uses the chips.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Adobe this week launched an AI agent platform for customers and said it was expanding collaboration with AI platforms including Amazon Web Services, Anthropic, Google Cloud, IBM, Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

That week, I spend hours talking with Rabia on Google Hangouts.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan