# search

> English word · Noun · IPA /sɜːt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #1,174

## Definitions
1. An attempt to find something.
2. The act of searching in general.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **snatch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-snatch)
- **starch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-starch)
- **seared** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-seared)
- **swatch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-swatch)
- **Searle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-searle)
- **starchy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-starchy)
- **searched** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-searched)
- **searches** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/search-vs-searches)
- **sear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sear-vs-search)
- **Sarah** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sarah-vs-search)
- **scarce** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scarce-vs-search)
- **scorch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scorch-vs-search)

## Common misspellings (9)
`esarch`, `saerch`, `seacrh`, `searcch`, `searchh`, `searhc`, `searrch`, `serach`, `ssearch`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/search