lookup

lookup — noun

1. the act of finding information by searching through a book, list, computer datab

1.nounB2
Definition

the act of finding information by searching through a book, list, computer database, or similar reference source

Example

A quick lookup in the dictionary confirmed the spelling of the word.

lookup + in [reference source]

The database lookup returned no results for that customer ID.

noun modifier: database lookup

Common collocations
  • quick lookup
  • perform a lookup
  • do a lookup
  • database lookup
  • phone number lookup
  • lookup table
  • lookup tool
Synonyms
  • search

    more general; can apply to physical searching, not just reference sources

  • check

    less formal; implies a brief verification rather than a thorough search

Usage Note

Commonly used as a noun modifier before another noun, as in 'lookup table', 'lookup service', or 'lookup tool'. The verb form is the two-word phrasal verb 'look up'.

Common Mistakes

I did a quick look up in the dictionary.
I did a quick lookup in the dictionary.
As a noun, 'lookup' is one word.

lookup — phrasal verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words involve finding information, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Lookup' is the most specific — it means retrieving a known type of information from a structured source, such as a dictionary definition or a database record. 'Search' is broader and can include physical searching (searching a room) as well as digital; it also suggests more effort or uncertainty. 'Query' is more technical and formal, used mainly for databases and computer systems. 'Check' is the most casual and brief — it implies a quick verification rather than a thorough investigation. For example, you would do a 'lookup' of a phone number in a directory, but you would 'search' for the best restaurant in town. You would 'query' a database for sales data, and 'check' whether you have enough money in your account.

search ↗query ↗check ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dictionary lookup
  • database lookup
  • phone lookup
  • address lookup
  • lookup table
  • lookup tool
  • lookup service

Phrases

  • perform a lookup
  • do a lookup
  • quick lookup

Prepositions

  • look up in [dictionary/records]
  • look up on [website/system]

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed from the verb phrase 'look up', where 'look' comes from Old English 'lōcian' (to see, gaze) and 'up' from Old English 'up', 'uppe' (toward a higher place). The phrase originally meant simply to raise one's eyes. By the 1500s it had developed the meaning 'to search for information in a book' (to look up from the page and find something). The sense 'to visit someone you haven't seen' emerged in the 1800s, and 'for a situation to improve' followed around the same time. The solid compound 'lookup' as a noun appeared in the 1900s alongside the growth of reference databases and computer systems.