From Old French *cerchier*, from Late Latin *circare* ("to go around, to explore"), derived from Latin *circus* ("circle"). The idea was of moving in circles to cover an area — a fitting image for a search.

*Chercher* appears in one of the most famous French aphorisms: **"Cherchez la femme"** ("Look for the woman"), coined by Alexandre Dumas père. It is used wryly to suggest that a woman is behind a man's troubles. The phrase has entered English as a well-known borrowed expression.