A search engine for retrieving documents from a database comprising a semantic document editor that is operable to allow a user to edit an existing document by creating one or more searchable compound word that contains information contextually relevant to the contents of the document. The editor is operable to associate the one or more created compound words with the document to produce an enhanced document having the compounds words associated therewith. A database is provided for storing a plurality of enhanced documents and a semantic query editor is provided that is operable to enable a searcher to address the database of enhanced documents with a query. The query editor is operable to receive the query and convert it into one or more compound search word that contains contextually relevant information. A search module is provided that is operable to receive the searchable compound words and to locate the relevant enhanced documents that have compound words associated with the document matching the searchable compound words. An output means is provided for presenting any located documents to the searcher.