Objective-C是一种通用、高级、面向对象的编程语言。它扩展了标准的ANSI C编程语言，将Smalltalk式的消息传递机制加入到ANSI C中。目前主要支持的编译器有GCC和Clang（采用LLVM作为前端）。

Objective-C的商标权属于苹果公司，苹果公司也是这个编程语言的主要开发者。苹果在开发NeXTSTEP操作系统时使用了Objective-C，之后被OS X和iOS继承下来。现在Objective-C与Swift是OS X和iOS操作系统、及与其相关的API、Cocoa和Cocoa Touch的主要编程语言。

Objective-C is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language that adds Smalltalk-style messaging to the C programming language. It is the main programming language used by Apple for the OS X and iOS operating systems, and their respective application programming interfaces (APIs): Cocoa and Cocoa Touch.