Ostensibly

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ɒˈstÉ›n.sɪ.bli/ or
• US IPA: /ɑːˈstÉ›n.sÉ™.bli/

Origin

ostensible + -ly, from French ostensible, from Latin ostensus, past participle of ostendō ("I show"), from ob ("before") + tendō ("I stretch out")

Full definition of ostensibly

Adverb

1. (modal) seemingly, apparently, on the surface
• 1889, Leslie Stephen, Sidney Lee, Dictionary of national biographyOn 13 June the peshwa signed a new treaty, ostensibly complying with the demands of the British government...
• Sinclair Jungle|9Up to a year or two ago it had been the custom to kill horses in the yards — ostensibly for fertilizer...
• 2007, Brian Herbert, Kevin J Anderson, Sandworms of DunePeople strive to achieve perfection — ostensibly an honorable goal — but complete perfection is dangerous. To be imperfect, but human, is far preferable.

Synonyms

• (seemingly) apparently, arguably, at first blush, seemingly, ostensively

Related terms

• ostensive