CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language used to style web pages by specifying how HTML elements are displayed, allowing the control of layout across multiple pages. It can be applied in three ways: inline, internal, and external stylesheets, with various selectors (element, id, class) used to target specific HTML elements. Additionally, CSS properties control aspects such as font, color, spacing, and positioning, facilitating the overall design and responsiveness of web content.