OSTENSIBLE

ostensible, ostensive

(adjective) represented or appearing as such; pretended; “His ostensible purpose was charity, his real goal popularity”

ostensible, apparent(a), seeming

(adjective) appearing as such but not necessarily so; “for all his apparent wealth he had no money to pay the rent”; “the committee investigated some apparent discrepancies”; “the ostensible truth of their theories”; “his seeming honesty”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

ostensible (comparative more ostensible, superlative most ostensible)

Apparent, evident; meant for open display.

Appearing as such; being such in appearance; professed, supposed (rather than demonstrably true or real).

Antonyms

• (meant for open display): ulterior

Anagrams

• bilestones

Source: Wiktionary

Os*ten"si*ble, a. Etym: [From L. ostensus, p. p. of ostendere to show, prop., to stretch out before; fr. prefix obs- (old form of ob-) + tendere to stretch. See Tend.]

1. Capable of being shown; proper or intended to be shown. [R.] Walpole.

2. Shown; exhibited; declared; avowed; professed; apparent; -- often used as opposed to real or actual; as, an ostensible reason, motive, or aim. D. Ramsay.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition