An ontological model is a structured framework that represents knowledge about a specific domain. It defines the entities, their properties, and the relationships between them, allowing for a clear understanding of how different concepts are interconnected. This model is often used in fields like computer science, artificial intelligence, and information science to facilitate data organization and retrieval. In an ontological model, concepts are typically represented as classes or categories, while instances of those classes are specific examples. For instance, in a model about animals, the class could be Mammals, and instances might include Dogs and Cats. This organization helps in reasoning and inference, making it easier to derive new information from existing knowledge.