When talking about terms it should be with article (a/an) before the term? For example:
1 What is an urticaria?
or
2 What is urticaria?
Thanks!
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1Note, because urticaria begins with a vowel sound, you would use an urticaria. Except that since it is an uncountable or mass noun, you would usually not use the indefinite article before it. – Apr 12 '15 at 04:22
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3If you say "What does urticaria mean?", then you don't need an article even if it is a count noun. – Apr 12 '15 at 06:00
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It depends on the word you are asking about.
You would not use an article if you are asking about
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"What is spaghetti?"
A proper noun, or a name.
"What is 'The New York Times'?"
A plural noun.
"What are fish?" or "What is a fish?"
In every other context, you would use an article.
As for the example you gave, "urticaria" is a mass noun, so you should say:
"What is urticaria?"
DJMcMayhem
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Urticaria would be "What is urticaria". It's an ailment and is singular. Even "hives", though plural sounding, should get the singular. See the first sentence of the Wikipedia article: "Urticaria [...] commonly referred to as hives, *is* a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps." – Catija Apr 12 '15 at 05:23
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@Catija Some dictionaries call hives a 'plural noun' while others just say it can take either a singular or plural verb. See Free Dictionary and One Look – Apr 12 '15 at 13:58
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There is a link in my answer. A mass noun is any noun that you can't count, for example water, or grass. You cannot say "I have three water" – DJMcMayhem Apr 12 '15 at 18:15
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If you have never heard the word urticaria, you simply ask: What is urticaria. It is totally irrelevant whether it is a mass noun or not, or a term or not. You don't know the word, so you don't know what kind of word it is.
rogermue
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