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

Google is still important, and search engine optimization (SEO) is still important. — Bernard May, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Google must give rival AI assistants and search engines greater access to key parts of Android and Google Search after the European Union ordered the company to comply with the bloc’s digital antitrust rules. — Robert Hart, The Verge, 16 July 2026

The Tom Hollands have come together for a search engine-confusing conversation about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey — and broken the internet. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026

Any content sucked into Muse will be discoverable on search engines, Meta confirmed, while positioning the AI tool as a new way to create content and increase engagement on its platforms. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 10 July 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