Volapük is a constructed language created in the 19th century by Johann Martin Schleyer, a German priest. It was designed to be an international language, making communication easier among people from different countries. The name "Volapük" means "world language" in the language itself, reflecting its purpose of fostering global understanding. Although Volapük gained popularity in the late 1800s, it eventually lost ground to other constructed languages like Esperanto. Despite this decline, it remains an interesting part of linguistic history and showcases the human desire for a universal means of communication.