Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.
Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos)bor.
Latin circus
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.
Proto-Italic *-ājō
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Late Latin circō
Anglo-Norman sercherbor.
Middle English serchen
English search
Inherited from Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, ,circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from circus. Unrelated to German suchen, which is cognate with English seek.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) An attempt to find something.
With only five minutes until we were meant to leave, the search for the keys started in earnest.
At least eight people died, and officials expressed deep concerns that the toll would rise as more searches of homes were carried out. 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, retrieved 31 Oct 2012:
(countable, uncountable) The act of searching in general.
Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet. Perhaps we assume that our name, address and search preferences will be viewed by some unseen pair of corporate eyes, probably not human, and don't mind that much. 2013 June 14, Jonathan Freedland, “Obama's once hip brand is now tainted”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 18:
Search is a hard problem for computers to solve efficiently.
ka ძებნა (an attempt to find something) · es campeada (an attempt to find something) · nl speurtocht (an attempt to find something) · sq kërkim f lyp (an attempt to find something) · lus zawn (an attempt to find something) · ar طَلَب (an attempt to find something) · ur کھوج (an attempt to find something) · fa-ira جُسْتُجو (an attempt to find something) · uz qidirish (an attempt to find something) · hu keresés (an attempt to find something) · fi penkominen (an attempt to find something) · nb søken (an attempt to find something) · af soektog (an attempt to find something) · uz qidiruv (an attempt to find something) · mi kimihanga (an attempt to find something) · uk по́шук (an attempt to find something) · az axtarış (an attempt to find something) · ky издөө (an attempt to find something) · hi तलाश (an attempt to find something) · alt тинтӱ (an attempt to find something) · mi rapunga (an attempt to find something) · bg тъ́рсене (an attempt to find something) · ca cerca (an attempt to find something) · grc ἔρευνα (an attempt to find something) · prs جُسْتُجو (an attempt to find something) · pl poszukiwanie (an attempt to find something) · la scrūtinium (an attempt to find something) · es rebusca (an attempt to find something) · nn leting (an attempt to find something) · gl busca (an attempt to find something) · gd sireadh (an attempt to find something) · gl procura (an attempt to find something) · et otsing (an attempt to find something) · sh по̏трага (an attempt to find something) · be по́шук (an attempt to find something) · nn søk (an attempt to find something) · nb leting (an attempt to find something) · es cateo (an attempt to find something) · izh etso (an attempt to find something) · fi etsintä (an attempt to find something) · af soektogte (an attempt to find something) · es rebusco (an attempt to find something) · kix lìam (an attempt to find something) · es busca (an attempt to find something) · sk hľadanie (an attempt to find something) · tr arama (an attempt to find something) · hit 𒊭𒀭𒄴𒍣 (an attempt to find something) · ky тинтүү (an attempt to find something) · dsb pytanje (an attempt to find something) · ur جان٘چ (an attempt to find something) · el αναζήτηση (an attempt to find something) · uk о́бшук (an attempt to find something) · et otsimine (an attempt to find something) · hi जुस्तजू (an attempt to find something) · be во́быск (an attempt to find something) · tg ҷустуҷӯ (an attempt to find something) · ln luka (an attempt to find something) · fr recherche (an attempt to find something) · es buscamiento (an attempt to find something) · ne खोजी गर्नु (an attempt to find something) · lt ieškojimas (an attempt to find something) · fi etsiminen (an attempt to find something) · ru о́быск (an attempt to find something) · es rebuscamiento (an attempt to find something) · lv meklēšana (an attempt to find something) · ru по́иск (an attempt to find something) · it ricerca (an attempt to find something) · hi जाँच (an attempt to find something) · io sercho (an attempt to find something) · lus zawnna (an attempt to find something) · zza geniyayış (an attempt to find something) · da eftersøgning (an attempt to find something) · nn søking (an attempt to find something) · ur جُستَجُو (an attempt to find something) · lt paieška (an attempt to find something) · es esculco (an attempt to find something) · ur جُسْتُجُو (an attempt to find something) · pms serca (an attempt to find something) · ja 検索 (an attempt to find something) · fi hakeminen (an attempt to find something) · fi haku (an attempt to find something) · it cerca (an attempt to find something) · sh pȍtraga (an attempt to find something) · ja 捜索 (an attempt to find something) · te వెతుకు (an attempt to find something) · hy որոնում (an attempt to find something) · sv sökande (an attempt to find something) · ar بَحْث (an attempt to find something) · ko 검색 (an attempt to find something) · nl zoektocht (an attempt to find something) · ms cari (an attempt to find something) · mk трагање (an attempt to find something) · pl przeszukiwanie (an attempt to find something) · csm ˀaký·l- (an attempt to find something) · lb Sich (an attempt to find something) · nb søk (an attempt to find something) · is leit (an attempt to find something) · hi खोज (an attempt to find something) · hy խուզարկություն (an attempt to find something) · he חיפוש \ חִפּוּשׂ (an attempt to find something) · sv sökning (an attempt to find something) · cmn 搜索 (an attempt to find something) · jv upaya (an attempt to find something) · sl iskanje (an attempt to find something) · ru ро́зыск (an attempt to find something) · eo serĉo (an attempt to find something) · kk ізденіс (an attempt to find something) · cs hledání (an attempt to find something) · pt busca (an attempt to find something) · ko 수색 (an attempt to find something) · es búsqueda (an attempt to find something) · ga cuardach (an attempt to find something) · ur تَلاش (an attempt to find something) · ko 찾기 (an attempt to find something) · grc ζήτησις (an attempt to find something) · th การค้นหา (an attempt to find something) · de Suche (an attempt to find something)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.
Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos)bor.
Latin circus
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.
Proto-Italic *-ājō
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Late Latin circō
Anglo-Norman sercherbor.
Middle English serchen
English search
Inherited from Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, ,circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from circus. Unrelated to German suchen, which is cognate with English seek.
Meanings
(transitive) To look in (a place) for something.
I searched the garden for the keys and found them in the vegetable patch.
(followed by "for", intransitive) To look thoroughly.
It sufficeth that they have once with care and fairness sifted the matter as far as they could, and searched into all the particulars. 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:
He tried to persuade Cicely to stay away from the ball-room for a fourth dance.[…]But she said she must go back, and when they joined the crowd again[…]she found her mother standing up before the seat on which she had sat all the evening searching anxiously for her with her eyes, and her father by her side. 1909 September 9, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter I, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC:
Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return. 2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68:
The police are searching for evidence in his flat.
(archaic, transitive) To look for, seek.
For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezekiel 34:11:
Anough is left besides to search and know. 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
To search the God of loue, her Nymphes she sent / Throughout the wandring forrest euery where[…]. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
(transitive) To put a phrase into a search engine, especially one besides Google.
I searched "Paris Hilton" and found lots of unflattering stories.
(obsolete, transitive) To probe or examine (a wound).
Now to the bottome dost thou search my wound. c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
Now torne we to the xj kynges that retorned vnto a cyte that hyghte Sorhaute / the whiche cyte was within kynge Vryens / and ther they refresshed hem as wel as they myght / and made leches serche theyr woundys and sorowed gretely for the dethe of her peple 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xvj”, in Le Morte Darthur, book I:
His wife perceiving him to droope and languish away, entreated him she might leasurely search and neerely view the quality of his disease[…]. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 35, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
Thus when they all had sorowed their fill, / They softly gan to search his griesly wownd[…]. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
(obsolete) To examine; to try; to put to the test.
seek · look for (intransitive: look thoroughly) · scour · comb · comb (transitive: look throughout (a place) for something)
Translations (196)
nan-hbl 抄找 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · da søge ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · mi kimi (to look throughout (a place) for something) · vi tìm ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · my ရှာ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · id mencari (to look throughout (a place) for something) · bg търся ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · mi haurapa ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · vec ẑercar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hi ढूँढना (to look throughout (a place) for something) · kk жоқтау (to look throughout (a place) for something) · th มองหา (to look throughout (a place) for something) · de suchen ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · fi penkoa (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mi tīrama (to look throughout (a place) for something) · km រកមើល (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hy ման գալ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cmn 找 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sv söka ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · uk обшу́кувати (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ky издөө (to look throughout (a place) for something) · la quaerō ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · be шука́ць (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ga cuardaigh (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ms mencari (to look throughout (a place) for something) · lo ຄົ້ນຫາ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · de absuchen (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hy փնտրել (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mt fittex (to look throughout (a place) for something) · zza geniyayen (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mk трага (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cmn 尋覓 /寻觅 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fi etsiä (to look throughout (a place) for something) · gd lorg ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · uk шука́ти (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cmn 尋求 /寻求 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · th ค้นหา (to look throughout (a place) for something) · as বিচাৰ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es sondear buscando ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · uz axtarmoq (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ko 찾다 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sh potražiti (to look throughout (a place) for something) · pl szukać (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ca cercar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · vec sercar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · uz qidirmoq (to look throughout (a place) for something) · de suchen (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cmn 搜索 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sk hľadať (to look throughout (a place) for something) · da søge (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fr fouiller (to look throughout (a place) for something) · pl przeszukiwać (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sv söka (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es buscar ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · mn хайх (to look throughout (a place) for something) · pt procurar ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · gd sir ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · vi tìm kiếm (to look throughout (a place) for something) · nl zoeken ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · my ရှာ ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · ca buscar ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · nl doorzoeken (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ja 捜す (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hi खोजना (to look throughout (a place) for something) · la vestigo ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · eu bilatu (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cs hledat (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ru разыска́ть ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · nl afzoeken (to look throughout (a place) for something) · et otsima (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es camperear (to look throughout (a place) for something) · oc cercar ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · mi hāhau (to look throughout (a place) for something) · tg ҷустуҷӯ кардан (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fi etsiä ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · mi kimikimi (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es escurcar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mn эрэх (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ka ძებნა (to look throughout (a place) for something) · nb søke (to look throughout (a place) for something) · eo serĉi ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · tr aramak (to look throughout (a place) for something) · bg претъ́рсвам (to look throughout (a place) for something) · vec çercar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fi tutkia (to look throughout (a place) for something) · el ερευνώ ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · qu maskai (to look throughout (a place) for something) · pt buscar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ro căuta (to look throughout (a place) for something) · bn খোঁজা ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · yag tēnux (to look throughout (a place) for something) · el ψάχνω (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mk бара (to look throughout (a place) for something) · jv glédhah (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es esculcar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · lt ieškoti (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mi pōrangi (to look throughout (a place) for something) · yi זוכן (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ar بَحَثَ عَنْ ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · da lede ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · ca inspeccionar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hi खोजना ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · th หา (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fr chercher (to look throughout (a place) for something) · tk agtarmak (to look throughout (a place) for something) · it cercare ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · pt procurar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · vo sukön (to look throughout (a place) for something) · uk обшука́ти (to look throughout (a place) for something) · qu aşii (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cs hledat ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · ar فَتَّشَ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · dsb pytaś ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · az axtarmaq (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hi जुस्तजू करना (to look throughout (a place) for something) · af soek (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ru разы́скивать ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · vi tìm kiếm ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · el αναζητώ ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · kix lìam (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ja 探す ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · gl cachear (to look throughout (a place) for something) · km ស្វែងរក (to look throughout (a place) for something) · no lete ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · eu xerkatu (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es registrar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · az aramaq (to look throughout (a place) for something) · kea djobe (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cmn 尋找 /寻找 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mi kimi ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · la pervēnor (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mi ngaropoko (to look throughout (a place) for something) · nb lete (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sl iskati (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ru иска́ть (to look throughout (a place) for something) · km រក (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sh тражити (to look throughout (a place) for something) · gl buscar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · nl zoeken (to look throughout (a place) for something) · eo priserĉi (to look throughout (a place) for something) · bn খোঁজা (to look throughout (a place) for something) · jv golèk (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cmn 搜尋 /搜寻 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hy որոնել (to look throughout (a place) for something) · nan-hbl 搜索 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · cmn 找尋 /找寻 (to look throughout (a place) for something) · nmn ǃxáa (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ka ძებნა ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · lo ຄົ້ນ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · lv meklēt (to look throughout (a place) for something) · la scrūtor (to look throughout (a place) for something) · to kumi (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mi rapu (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sq kërkoj (to look throughout (a place) for something) · id geledah (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sv leta ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · da lede (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es rebuscar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ca cercar ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · bg тъ́рся (to look throughout (a place) for something) · lt ieškoti ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · fa جستجو کردن (to look throughout (a place) for something) · sh потражити (to look throughout (a place) for something) · oc cercar (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fur cirî ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · kn ಹುಡುಕು (to look throughout (a place) for something) · vi tìm (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fo leita (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hu átkutat (to look throughout (a place) for something) · la scisco (to look throughout (a place) for something) · grc ἐρευνάω (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es campear (to look throughout (a place) for something) · kk іздеу (to look throughout (a place) for something) · de durchsuchen (to look throughout (a place) for something) · mi hure ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · sh trážiti (to look throughout (a place) for something) · th ค้น (to look throughout (a place) for something) · it cercare (to look throughout (a place) for something) · lus zawng ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · lus zawng (to look throughout (a place) for something) · hi ढूँढ़ना (to look throughout (a place) for something) · pl przeszukać (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ja 探す (to look throughout (a place) for something) · is leita (to look throughout (a place) for something) · fr chercher ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · ur ڈھونڈھنا (to look throughout (a place) for something) · lo ຫາ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es catear (to look throughout (a place) for something) · gd iarr ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · it buscare ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · he חיפש \ חִפֵּשׂ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ba эҙләү (to look throughout (a place) for something) · ar بَحَثَ (to look throughout (a place) for something) · la scisco ((followed by "for") to look thoroughly) · sv genomsöka (to look throughout (a place) for something) · es allanar (to look throughout (a place) for something)