The Greek verb anazētéō (ἀναζητέω) means to search for, seek diligently, or look carefully for someone or something. The prefix ana- intensifies the search, implying a thorough, determined seeking.
Anazētéō appears in Luke 2:44-45 describing Mary and Joseph's frantic search for the twelve-year-old Jesus: they 'began looking for him among their relatives and friends... and went back to Jerusalem to look for him.' This anxious parental search finds its counterpart in Jesus's own description of His mission: 'The Son of Man came to seek (zēteo) and to save the lost' (Luke 19:10). We search for Jesus; He is already searching for us. The seeking is mutual — but His seeking is primary and infallible. He who was 'lost' to Mary finds the lost with perfect fidelity.