I have chosen to write this post due to no information out on the net for the correct terminology and I have once again been asked to think of the correct words fml…
“Máquina de Búsqueda“. (tadaaa~ :P)
I choose this term because it is more appropriate for what is actually occurring when querying a database, I am a network engineer so bear with me…
“Maquina” insinuates that it is a big machine, which is true, when conducting searches on search engines you are typically searching a redundant cluster of computers or clouds, thus equating to a total machine.
Some people may say “Motor” instead of “Máquina”, which is incorrect. The word Motor refers to a traditional motor/combustion engine and therefore relate to cars.
“Busqueda” Simply implies it’s a meticulous search, which is correct, queries process multiple algorithms to produce a result/score based on any given parameters.
I hope this helps ^_^