What does the term “Mesh” refer to? Does it mean any 3d object, or is there more to it then just that?
Well, the word ‘mesh’ can have a lot of meanings.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=mesh
In computer graphics, its basically a poly-model. An object defined by vertices, edges, and faces; as opposed to a nurbs object which is defined by curves.
Thats the best I can do 
A mesh is an object but not all objects are meshes.
A mesh is a collection of vertices along with data about how the are connected to each other and the faces they form.
Other objects such as cameras, lights, curves and nurbs surfaces are not meshes although some, where appropriate, can be converted to a mesh.
GreyBeard
Thanks!
A mesh is a surface that is composed of polygons. It consists of: - vertices: “points” in space. - edges: the “lines” between points. - faces: “fabric” … the thing you can actually see, stretched between three or more co-planar edges.
NURBS and Bezier refer to mathematical curves and surfaces, which are defined in a fundamentally different way. Any point on a polygon-based mesh is essentially defined by triagulation from the vertices at the corners of the face upon which it lies. But a curve or surface is purely a mathematical equation, or system of equations, and each (X,Y,Z) coordinate is a solution to that equation.
mesh is the nickname of mess 