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"What is an apple?" vs. "What is apple?" vs. "What is the apple?"

1:Which one is correct in purist way if I am asking for the definition of the word "apple" or I want to know what the thing is?

2:To the answer, how can I say? "An apple is a kind of fruit." or "Apple is a kind of fruit." or "The apple is a kind of fruit."

3:The word "apple" is a countable noun. Beside this, can you tell me the other ways of asking questions for the other kinds of things and words?

Thanks in advance.

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I am irresistibly reminded of this – StoneyB Oct 28 '12 at 13:57
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Please support our proposed sister site specifically for English language learners. Thank you. – RegDwighт♦ Oct 28 '12 at 14:31
I think this is General Reference, but welcome to ELU anyway, @daisonlee. In different contexts, all three are "correct". "What is an apple" asks about the objects (fruits) we call apples. "What is apple" asks about the substance (or perhaps, the colour, the scent, etc.) called apple. "What is the apple" normally asks about a particular apple, but could be used as a stylised version of generic "an apple". – FumbleFingers Oct 28 '12 at 15:54
Thank you, FumbleFingers. And I also want to know whether I should add "an" at the beginning of the answer,if the question is "What is an apple?" – daisonlee Oct 29 '12 at 1:02
As saying, "An apple is a kind of fruit." or "Apple is a kind of fruit." – daisonlee Oct 29 '12 at 1:10

closed as general reference by FumbleFingers, RegDwighт♦ Oct 28 '12 at 16:11

This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

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