Trivia Time

Which TV show is credited with being the first to use google as a verb?

Test Your Knowledge

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

In response, a Google spokesperson said it was "deeply committed to protecting children online."

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

The Google spokeswoman said the company will address this “tunnel vision” in an update.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

A Google spokeswoman said the lightweight Fitbit Air is easier to move during more aggressive exercises, especially if the band isn’t snug.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Apple has been tight-lipped about the details of the update and its partnership with Google.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

After the Google Glass sighting, Gazzaley, his girlfriend, and Dan the guitarist, each pull out their cell phones.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel