Predictions As You Type In The Chrome Addressbar – Chrome Prediction Service

When you type in the address bar, Google Chrome can use a prediction service to help you complete the web addresses and search terms that you’re entering. For example, typing new york in the address bar could bring up http://www.nytimes.com as a predicted site or [ new york city ] as a predicted search.

To help you differentiate between web addresses and searches, a  icon appears next to searches in the address bar menu; a  icon appears next to web addresses.

Unless your default search engine uses a different prediction service, the search terms that show up are the same ones that would show up if you were searching on Google.

Disable the prediction service

The prediction service is turned on by default. Follow these steps to turn it off:

1. [advt]Click the wrench icon  on the browser toolbar.
2. Select Options (Preferences on Mac and Linux; Settings on Chrome OS).
3. Click the Under the Hood tab.
4. In the “Privacy” section, deselect the “Use a prediction service to help complete searches and URLs typed in the address bar” checkbox.

Keep in mind that the address bar shows matches from your browsing history, in addition to predictions. If you don’t want to see matches from your browsing history, clear your browsing history.[source]