English

handsearch

From hand + search.

A compound of hand + search

Proto-Germanic *handuz

Proto-West Germanic *handu

Old English hand

Middle English hond

English hand

Latin circus ‘circle’

Late Latin circō ‘to circle; go around; search for’

Anglo-Norman sercher

Middle English serchen ‘to scrutinise’

Today it means

verb To search manually through academic journals, etc. rather than using electronic search facilities.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / handsearch