Real-Time Capability, Google Dictionary Highlight Google Search Updates eContent (Dec 8)
Key piece here is that Google no longer links to Answers.com for definitions of search terms. It has switched to its own Google Dictionary and will only provide the definition on single-term queries.
"For single-word or idiomatic web searches, Google provides a link to a definition for the term next to the number of results. The link, which once directed the user to Answers.com and before that to Dictionary.com, will now lead to an in-house service, Google Dictionary."
Compare the word clean at Answers.com to Google Dictionary.. Google is very good but Answers.com is superior.
On two-term phrases - such as information management, Answers.com will at least get a definition from the Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Google web search does not. You can search the Dictionary on your own to get "web definitions". The shortcut to this, as we all know, is to enter define: -- eg define: "information management".
I preferred when Google linked every term in a query to definitions. Searchers are not going to go one-by-one through the terms to see what else they should consider or to broaden their understanding.
Posted by Gwen at December 8, 2009 03:51 PM