A "Character Set" is a collection of characters that can be used in computing and digital communication. It defines the symbols, letters, numbers, and control codes that a computer can recognize and manipulate. Common character sets include ASCII, which represents English letters and digits, and Unicode, which supports a wide range of characters from various languages and symbols. Character sets are essential for encoding text in software applications, databases, and web pages. They ensure that information is displayed correctly across different devices and platforms. By using a consistent character set, developers can avoid issues like garbled text or missing characters in their programs.