WASHINGTON, D.C. - Users across the globe are looking up the word "impeach" following an announcement by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi calling for a formal impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.

Merriam-Webster says searches spiked 3,600 percent on Sept. 24. The publishing company defines the term in multiple ways, including "to charge with a crime or misdemeanor" and "to cast doubt on."

Calls for an impeachment inquiry have intensified following reports that Trump may have sought a foreign government's help in his reelection bid.

"Although often thought of as remove from office, impeach has a precise legal meaning in cases such as this, in which the action describes as a step in removing an official from office, but does not refer to the removal itself," Webster explained.

The announcement for a formal impeachment inquiry comes just over a year before the next presidential election.

You'll never guess our top search right now.

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— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) September 24, 2019