search

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled seearch

US /sɝt͡ʃ/ UK /sɜːt͡ʃ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like church /tʃ/ vs /s/

Freq #1094

Meanings

1

verb
To look carefully in order to find someone or something.

The police are searching for clues.
2

noun
An attempt to find someone or something.

The search for the missing keys started in earnest.
3

verb
To examine a person or place carefully to find something hidden.

The guards searched every bag at the entrance.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to look carefully in order... look forseek

2 noun · an attempt to find someone... sweep

More comb scour

Word family

Forms searchedsearchessearchingunsearched

Related forms googlelook research

Appears in

Phrases (9)

See all

online search
a search performed on the internet

Adjective + noun
search an area
to look through a region systematically

Verb + noun
thorough search
a search that examines every part carefully

Adjective + noun
carry out a search
perform a systematic search

Verb + noun
conduct a search
carry out an organized attempt to find something or someone

Verb + noun
launch a search
officially begin a search operation

Verb + noun

Simplified etymology

Search came through Old French cerchier from late Latin circare, “go around,” which derives from Latin circus, “circle.” From its earliest English use, it carried both the sense of exploring thoroughly and that of trying to find something.

Etymology

From Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from Latin circa, circus. Not related to German suchen, which is cognate with English seek.

*(s)ker- (turn) Proto-Indo-European serchen Middle English sercher xno cerchier Old French circō la-lat circa Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# search

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /sɝt͡ʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /sɜːt͡ʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 1094

## Meanings
1. To look carefully in order to find someone or something.
2. An attempt to find someone or something.
3. To examine a person or place carefully to find something hidden.

## Examples
- The police are searching for clues.
- The search for the missing keys started in earnest.
- The guards searched every bag at the entrance.

## Synonyms
- comb
- scour
- seek

## Related Forms
- google
- look
- research

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)ker- (turn)
- Root: serchen
- Root: sercher
- Root: cerchier
- Root: circō
- Root: circa

## Etymology
From Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from Latin circa, circus. Not related to German suchen, which is cognate with English seek.

## AI Etymology
Search is from Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from Latin circa, circus. Not related to German suchen, which is cognate with English seek. Important forms in the word's history include Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (turn), Middle English serchen, xno sercher, Old French cerchier, la-lat circō, Latin circa. In current use it includes senses such as To look carefully in order to find someone or something and An attempt to find someone or something.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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