# ostensible

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɒˈstɛns.ɪ.bəl/ · frequency rank #53,151

## Definitions
1. Apparent, evident; meant for open display.
2. Appearing as such; being such in appearance; professed, supposed (rather than demonstrably true or real).

## Etymology
Borrowed from French ostensible, formed with the suffix -ible, from Latin ostensus, the past participle of ostendō (“show”), itself from obs- (“in front of”) (akin to ob- (“in the way”)) + tendō (“stretch”) (akin to Ancient Greek τείνω (teínō)). Cf. also Medieval Latin ostensibilis.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ostensible