+@node Symbol Search
+@section Symbol Search
+@cindex symbol search
+
+ A @dfn{symbol search} is much like an ordinary search, except that
+the boundaries of the search must match the boundaries of a symbol.
+The meaning of @dfn{symbol} in this context depends on the major mode,
+and usually refers to a source code token, such as a Lisp symbol in
+Emacs Lisp mode. For instance, if you perform an incremental symbol
+search for the Lisp symbol @code{forward-word}, it would not match
+@code{isearch-forward-word}. This feature is thus mainly useful for
+searching source code.
+
+@table @kbd
+@item M-s _
+If incremental search is active, toggle symbol search mode
+(@code{isearch-toggle-symbol}); otherwise, begin an incremental
+forward symbol search (@code{isearch-forward-symbol}).
+@item M-s .
+Start a symbol incremental search forward with the symbol found near
+point added to the search string initially.
+@item M-s _ @key{RET} @var{symbol} @key{RET}
+Search forward for @var{symbol}, nonincrementally.
+@item M-s _ C-r @key{RET} @var{symbol} @key{RET}
+Search backward for @var{symbol}, nonincrementally.
+@end table
+
+@kindex M-s _
+@kindex M-s .
+@findex isearch-forward-symbol
+@findex isearch-forward-symbol-at-point
+ To begin a forward incremental symbol search, type @kbd{M-s _} (or
+@kbd{M-s .} if the symbol to search is near point). If incremental
+search is not already active, this runs the command
+@code{isearch-forward-symbol}. If incremental search is already
+active, @kbd{M-s _} switches to a symbol search, preserving the
+direction of the search and the current search string; you can disable
+symbol search by typing @kbd{M-s _} again. In incremental symbol
+search, only the beginning of the search string is required to match
+the beginning of a symbol.
+
+ To begin a nonincremental symbol search, type @kbd{M-s _ @key{RET}}
+for a forward search, or @kbd{M-s _ C-r @key{RET}} or a backward
+search. In nonincremental symbol searches, the beginning and end of
+the search string are required to match the beginning and end of a
+symbol, respectively.
+