Main Entry: os·ten·si·ble

Pronunciation: \ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-bəl, 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