In English grammar, an article is a non-descriptive, limiting word. It cannot be used alone, but is always joined to a substantive word to denote a particular thing, or a group or class of things, or any individual of a group or class. Articles are either definite or indefinite.

The is a definite article, since it points out a particular individual, or group, or class.
An or a is the indefinite article, because it refers to any one of a group or class of things.

An and a are different forms of the same word. Ordinarily an is used before vowel sounds, and a before consonant sounds.

Remember that a vowel sound does not necessarily mean beginning with a vowel, nor does consonant sound mean beginning with a consonant, because English spelling does not coincide closely with the sound of words.

Some examples:
a house—one among many. As opposed to the house, which indicates a particular house.
an orange
a European
an honor
a yelling crowd

Many writers use an before h, even when not silent, when the word is not accented on the first syllable:
An historian
An heroic act.
an hereditary disposition.
An habitual liar.

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