What does it mean to "whisk" ingredients?

Whisking ingredients involves mixing or beating them by hand using a whisk, which is a tool designed to incorporate air into the mixture. This action helps to create light and fluffy textures, particularly important in recipes like meringues, whipped cream, or batters. The motion of the whisk, typically a quick and circular or back-and-forth movement, increases the mixture's volume and can improve its overall consistency by blending ingredients thoroughly.

While other methods mentioned, such as sifting flour, folding ingredients, or using a food processor, serve different purposes in the kitchen, they do not capture the essence of whisking, which emphasizes aeration and thorough integration of ingredients.