Dear Pamela,
Yes Pamela,You are thinking logically,Why its Name is Search Engine?The Answer Lies Logically in Software Engineering Principle,it means software is a product like motor Engine or any other engine derives from the concepts of Mechanical Engineering,Electrical Engineering etc,Now I come into points : What is Engine ? then one of the definition can be "An engine may also serve as a "prime mover", a component that transforms the flow or changes in pressure of a fluid into mechanical energy as per Automobile point of view",similarly the concepts of Stream Engine and lots of other Engine related to different Engineering,the moral concepts of Engine or Machine based on three fundamental principle as we everybody aware of that :
1.Input
2.Process
3.Output
Like wise Search Engine Takes Input as "Searching Words",then the Corresponding Programs(Generally in the form of .exe,.dll(as you have seen windows dll icon shape in form of Engine,right word would be component) Process the Words by using certain logic like in search engine uses indexing concepts to retrieve the exact informations,and at the end display the Results.
Now you say whether Search Engine follow the concepts of Engine or not.
Thanks & Regards
Ahmed Ali Khan