adj.
Pronunciation: ä- ' sten(t)-s ə -b ə l, ə -
Function: adjective
Etymology: French, from Latin ostensus, past participle of ostendere to show, from obs-, ob- in the way + tendere to stretch ― more at OB- , THIN
Date: circa 1771
1 : intended for display : open to view
2 : being such in appearance : plausible rather than demonstrably true or real <the ostensible purpose for the trip>
synonyms see APPARENT