To Google
The verb to google means "to perform a Web
search", usually with the Google
search engine. "Mary googled for
Wikipedia references." Compare with grep. This new word arose from the
tremendous popularity of the Google search
engine. The American Dialect Society chose the verb to google as the
"most useful word of 2002."
Another use of the word is to say that some brand or concept "does (or
doesn't) google," which indicates whether or not useful information can
be found on it using a quick Internet
search (commonly with the Google engine). For instance, a person
named David Jones, or a computer program named "Click", doesn't google,
since using either as a query would return hundreds of links unrelated
to the individual or program in question. Similarly, really obscure
things don't google because they return no hits. Both search engines and
companies try to ensure that the most relevant results are returned
first; thus, virtually every well-known company googles.
The word google can also be used as a noun, meaning "search
engine hit." The derivative term kilogoogle (i.e. 1000, or maybe
1024, search engine hits) is also in
use, but megagoogles are rarely heard of. As such, a certain
search term might score 58 kilogoogles.
Google discourages such use, fearing the dilution and potential loss of
its trademark, like Yo-Yo, Xerox and escalator (see genericized
trademark). The company sent a cease and desist letter to Paul McFedries,
creator of wordspy.com , a website that tracks neologisms. However,
Google also sells the "I Google" Tee, which uses Google as a verb on the
product and in its description.
See also
- STFG — an initialism containing the word Google
- Ego surfing — self-googlization