äˈsten(t)səbəl, əˈ- sometimes ȯˈ- adjective
Etymology: French, fr, Latin ostensus (past participle of ostendere to show, from os- — from ob to, before, against — + tendere to stretch) + French -ible -able — more at epi- , thin
1.
a. : capable of being shown : prepared to be exhibited : presentable
send me two letters — one confidential, another ostensible — Jeremy Bentham
b. : open to view : conspicuous
the ostensible validity of his predictions regarding the past war — S.H.Croog
have different ostensible properties — C.H.Whitely
2. : professing genuineness and sincerity but often concealing the real aspects behind a plausible facade
the sketches of Stratford-on-Avon … the ostensible reason for his trip, duly appeared — F.J.Mather
organized a company whose ostensible purpose was to provide an adequate supply of water — Sidney Warren
Synonyms: see apparent