UML (Unified Modeling Language) is a graphical language used to visualize, specify, construct and document software systems. It provides standard terminology and modeling techniques to describe object-oriented systems. Some key UML diagrams include class diagrams, which show the structure and relationships between classes/objects, and sequence diagrams, which illustrate the interactions between objects over time through messages. UML aims to provide a common modeling language that can be used to discuss, document and aid the design of software systems.