# lookup

/ˈɫʊkəp/ (US) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lookup
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

the act of searching for information in a book, a database, or a list. You do this when you need to find a specific fact or name.

For teachers: the process of searching for information in a database, list, or reference work. Often used in technical contexts to describe the retrieval of data based on a specific key.

## Examples

- I did a quick lookup in the phone book.
- The software performs a lookup in the database to verify if the customer's account is active.
- A successful lookup requires the system to efficiently traverse the index to locate the exact record without scanning the entire dataset.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.