What characteristic defines an object in object-oriented programming?

In object-oriented programming, an object is defined primarily by its ability to encapsulate data and the behavior that manipulates that data. This characteristic signifies that objects are instances of classes, where the class serves as a blueprint that defines both the properties (data) and the methods (behavior) that characterize that particular type of object. Encapsulation ensures that the internal state of an object can only be altered in well-defined ways, typically through methods of the class, promoting data integrity and security.

This encapsulation also enables the object to model real-world entities more closely, bundling together both attributes (like a person's name or age) and operations (like a method to update the age) that are logically connected. This intrinsic relationship between data and behavior is fundamental in object-oriented design, aiding in building modular and maintainable code.

The other options do not accurately depict a defining characteristic of an object. For instance, an object does not need to contain only methods without properties, nor does it need to inherit from multiple classes; inheritance typically involves a single superclass in the context of most object-oriented languages (although some languages do support multiple inheritance, it's not a defining trait of all objects). Lastly, while abstract classes play a role in OOP, not all objects