WHAT is a term used to inquire about the nature or identity of something. It seeks to clarify or define an object, concept, or situation. For example, when someone asks, "What is a cat?" they are looking for information about the characteristics and classification of cats. In various contexts, WHAT can also refer to a specific event or action. For instance, in a conversation, someone might say, "What happened at the meeting?" Here, WHAT is used to request details about the occurrences during that particular meeting.