search term

search term

   <information science> An element of a search or query.  A
   search term is the basic building block of a {boolean search}
   or a {weighted search}.  In a search engine a search term is
   typically a word, phrase, or pattern match expression.  For
   example: cosmonaut or "space travel" or astronaut*

   In a {database} a term is typically the comparison of a column
   with a constant or with another column.  For example:
   last_name like 'Smith%'

   (1999-08-27)