Object Instantiation

A class is the blueprint for something, like a bicycle, a car, or a data structure. An object is the actual thing that is built using that class (or blueprint.) From the blueprint for a bicycle, you can build a specific mountain bike with 23 gears and tight suspension. From the blueprint of a data structure class, you build a specific instance of that class. Instantiation is the term for building that copy, or an instance, of a class.