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What is inflation in cosmology?

I am having trouble understanding what a cosmic inflation is.

Please try to suffice an explanation for non physicists / non formal students for physics / general audience.

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I understand that _an inflation situation_ usually means a _process_ where _something is growing in volume but not in mass_ ; like inflating a balloon or making prices higher in general although the money worths pretty much the same in worldly currency trade.

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Given that our universe expands (an expansion which isn't considered "inflation" for some reason) in a void which might include one or more other universe/s (static or expanding), what could be an "inflation" in that regard?

The only thing I could imagine is when quantum particles "suddenly" appear in another area in the void to form a new universe or to expand an existing universe.