Final answer:
A default gateway is a device that forwards IP packets without an explicit next-hop in the routing table, acting as the local network's exit point for external destinations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct description of a default gateway is that it is a device that receives IP packets that have no explicit next-hop in the routing table. In other words, when a device on a network attempts to communicate with a device on another network, the default gateway serves as the exit point for the local network, forwarding the traffic to its destination beyond the local network. It is not a security feature that specifically denies traffic (like a firewall), nor does it handle the translation between public and private addresses (like network address translation, or NAT), nor does it handle Layer 2 frames with unknown destination addresses (which would typically be the function of a switch).