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A meta search engine is a search tool that aggregates and compiles results from multiple search engines simultaneously, without maintaining its own database of web content. It sends a user's query to several other search engines at once and then displays the combined results in a single list, providing a more comprehensive overview of the web's response to that query. Examples include Dogpile and Kayak.

How it works

A user enters a search query into the meta search engine. The meta search engine forwards this query to several other search engines, such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo. It receives the results from these individual search engines and uses its own algorithms to combine and rank them. The aggregated results are then presented to the user in a single, unified list.

Key characteristics

No independent crawling: Unlike traditional engines like Google, meta search engines do not crawl and index the web themselves.

Aggregates results: Their main function is to pull together results from other sources, creating a wider array of search results.

Often specialized: Some meta search engines are for specific niches, such as travel (e.g., hotel and flight price aggregators like Kayak and Trivago).

Potential for diverse results: By using multiple search engines, meta search engines can potentially uncover content that might be missed when searching a single engine alone.