search engine

noun

: computer software used to search data (such as text or a database) for specified information

also : a site on the Internet that uses such software to locate key words in other sites

Examples of search engine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nadella, who was leading Microsoft’s search engine team at the time, thought the deal made little sense. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026

Only to the extent that search engines, such as Google, use AI. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026

Notably, a German search engine used by European governments plans to ditch France’s Mistral, opting instead for a Chinese open-source model. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Yandex, often described as Russia's Google, runs the country's most popular search engine and a wide range of digital services, and is heavily involved in Russia's artificial intelligence development. — Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

search engine

noun

: computer software used to search data (as text or a database) for specified information

also : a website that uses such software