What does the Boolean operator "NOT" do in search queries?

The Boolean operator "NOT" is used in search queries to specifically exclude results that contain a certain term. When you use "NOT" in a search, it tells the search engine or database to ignore any documents, entries, or records that include the term that follows "NOT." This function is particularly useful in refining search results and enhancing their relevance by filtering out unwanted information. For example, if you were searching for information on apples but did not want any results related to green apples, you would enter "apples NOT green" to receive results that pertain only to apples that do not include green variations. This targeted approach helps streamline the search process and improves the efficiency in finding the information required.