A service retrieval apparatus stores service data items, each including two words as input and output items and expression as condition, receives request data item including word as input item and expression as condition, acquires first word set which is set of words having meanings identical/similar to meaning of word as input item in request data item, retrieves group of service data items in each of which one word of first word set is included as input item, calculates condition similarity between meaning of expression in each one of group and meaning of expression in request data item, calculates priority of each one of group based on similarity between word as input item in each one of group and word as input item in request data item and condition similarity, and transmits list including priority and address of appliance which correspond to each one of group to first appliance.