What is a function call?

A function call refers to the act of executing a defined function. When a function is called, the program temporarily transfers control to that function, which allows the code within the function to run with any provided arguments. This enables the program to perform a specific task or computation defined in the function without rewriting the code each time that task needs to be executed.

In programming, this is a fundamental concept as it promotes code reusability and organization. By encapsulating behavior in functions, you can keep your code modular and easier to manage. When you call the function, you can also utilize return values, which allows for data processing and flow control in a structured manner.

The other options represent different concepts: creating a new function definition pertains to defining what a function does, compiling a function relates to converting code into machine language before execution, and deleting a function would involve removing it from the program entirely. Each of these actions plays a different role in the lifecycle of functions within programming, but they do not represent the action of invoking or executing a function, which is what a function call does.