A suffix array is a data structure that provides a sorted list of all the suffixes of a given string. It allows for efficient searching and manipulation of substrings, making it useful in various applications like text processing and bioinformatics. The suffixes are typically indexed, enabling quick access to their positions in the original string. Constructing a suffix array involves sorting the suffixes based on their lexicographical order. This structure can be used in conjunction with other algorithms, such as the Longest Common Prefix (LCP) array, to enhance string matching and pattern searching tasks.