searcher
UK: ˈsɜːtʃə | US: ˈsɜːrtʃər
n. a person or thing that searches or investigates
n. (computing) a program or tool designed to retrieve information from a database or the internet
The word "searcher" combines the verb "search," derived from Old French cerchier (to seek) and ultimately Latin circāre (to go around, explore), with the agentive suffix "-er," which originates from Old English -ere (one who does). The suffix "-er" is productive in English, turning verbs into nouns denoting a person or tool performing the action. Thus, "searcher" logically evolved to mean "one who searches," reflecting both physical exploration and modern digital retrieval.
The detective was a meticulous searcher, leaving no stone unturned.
The library hired a searcher to catalog rare manuscripts.
Google is the most popular web searcher worldwide.
The rescue team sent a searcher to scan the forest for missing hikers.
As a patent searcher, her job was to review existing inventions.