search engine

American  

[surch en-juhn] / ˈsɜrtʃ ˌɛn dʒən /

noun

Digital Technology.

1. a computer program that searches documents, especially on the World Wide Web, for a specified word or words and provides a list of documents in which they are found.

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search engine British  

noun

1. computing a service provided on the internet enabling users to search for items of interest

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search engine Cultural  

1. Web sites or software that search the Internet for documents that contain a key word, phrase, or subject that is specified by the user to the search engine. Each engine has its own method of searching for information.

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Etymology

Origin of search engine

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Its unlimited device support and bundled extras, including antivirus, data breach alerts and a private search engine, make it a cost-effective all-in-one solution.

From Salon

That left Google with its lucrative deal as Apple’s default search engine and removed the risk of having to sell its Chrome browser.

From Barron's

The recurring question of who will be the next James Bond generates a lot of pop cultural heat in our world; just type “next James Bond” into your search engine of choice.

From Los Angeles Times

One caveat right off the bat: Although AI search is growing fast, many people are still using traditional search engines and clicking on links.

From The Wall Street Journal

You probably interact with them multiple times every day by now - from the summary at the top of search engine results to your smartphone's autocorrect, photo editing software or voicemail transcription tools.

From BBC