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

Use of ChatGPT's online search engine has tripled over the course of a year, according to OpenAI.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Through methods like search engine optimization and other nifty page-ranking subterfuge, this nonverified content climbs to the top of search results and people’s consciousness.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

Surfshark One adds antivirus, data breach alerts and a private search engine, with pricing at $17.95/month, $3.39/month for the one-year plan and $2.49/month for the two-year plan.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

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 • Mar. 20, 2026

Angie took one last look at the search results, then reluctantly closed down the search engine.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser