English vocabulary · C2
Ostensible
/ɑːˈstɛnsəbəl/ · adj.
Ostensible is the reason something looks true on the surface. It is what you show, even when the real reason stays hidden.
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Example sentences
- His ostensible excuse was heavy traffic.
- Her ostensible calm hid real anger.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- ostendere — to show (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- APPARENT — seems true at first (What You See on the Surface)
- SEEMING — appears to be true (A Soft, Uncertain Impression)
- ALLEGED — claimed but not proven (A Claim Without Proof)
Words with the same root
ostendere — to show
- ostentation — a showy display meant to impress
Lesson notes
Ostensible is the reason something looks true on the surface. It is what you show, even when the real reason stays hidden.
Related: apparent, seeming, alleged. Use ostensible when the real reason stays hidden.
His ostensible excuse was heavy traffic. Her ostensible calm hid real anger.
From Latin. Ostendere- means to show. Showing a reason on the surface while hiding the real one, that is ostensible.