Søk

Søk is the Norwegian term for the act of searching or seeking. As a noun, it describes the process of looking for information, objects, or solutions. The related verb is å søke, which can mean to search, to seek, to request, or to apply for something, depending on context. The noun søk is used broadly, while søknad refers to an application (for a job, admission, etc.), illustrating how related words convey different kinds of seeking actions.

In information technology and data management, søk denotes the process of locating information within a collection or database. A user provides a query, and the system retrieves relevant results. Typical components include indexing, query processing, and ranking to present relevant results. Common forms are fulltekst søk (full-text search) and metadata search. Søk interfaces often include a søkefelt (search field), with options for advanced search, filters, and facets to refine results. The quality of a søk depends on data quality, language processing, and the relevance algorithm used.

Common domains for søk include web search engines, digital libraries, databases, e-commerce sites, and content management systems. In Norwegian everyday language, people also say å søke opp informasjon or å søke etter noe. The term is thus deployed across both everyday and technical uses, with context guiding its precise meaning.