ORmation science> An element of a search OR query. A search term is the basic building block of a boolean searchOR 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)