Final answer:
API stands for Application Programming Interface, which is a set of protocols and tools for building software applications, enabling different software components to communicate with each other.
Step-by-step explanation:
API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of protocols, routines, and tools for building software and applications.
An API specifies how software components should interact and are used when programming graphical user interface (GUI) components.
A common example is when third-party applications like social media, travel booking, and email services provide APIs for developers to use in order to integrate features of those services into their own applications.