What does the :hover pseudo-class do in CSS?

The :hover pseudo-class in CSS is designed to apply specific styles to an element when the user's mouse pointer is positioned over it. This interaction typically enhances user experience by indicating that the element is interactive, such as a button or link. For example, when hovering over a button, you might change its background color or add a shadow effect to give visual feedback to the user that they can click on it.

The other choices refer to different interactions: clicking an element corresponds to a different event handling mechanism (not covered by :hover), while the visited state relates to links that have been previously accessed, typically indicated by the :visited pseudo-class. The printing context pertains to media queries designed for print layouts, which is not relevant to the hover effect. Thus, the correct choice accurately describes the core function of the :hover pseudo-class.