Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [o-sten-suh-buh l]
- /ɒˈstɛn sə bəl/
- /ɒsˈten.sɪ.bl̩/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [o-sten-suh-buh l]
- /ɒˈstɛn sə bəl/
Definitions of ostensible word
- adjective ostensible outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended: an ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness. 1
- adjective ostensible apparent, evident, or conspicuous: the ostensible truth of their theories. 1
- noun ostensible Stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so. 1
- adjective ostensible appearing, apparent 1
- adjective ostensible Ostensible is used to describe something that seems to be true or is officially stated to be true, but about which you or other people have doubts. 0
- adjective ostensible apparent; seeming 0
Information block about the term
Origin of ostensible
First appearance:
before 1720 One of the 49% newest English words
1720-30; < French < Latin ostēns(us), variant of ostentus (see ostensive) + French -ible -ible
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Ostensible
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
ostensible popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 75% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
ostensible usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for ostensible
adjective ostensible
- ostensive — clearly or manifestly demonstrative.
- apparent — An apparent situation, quality, or feeling seems to exist, although you cannot be certain that it does exist.
- professed — avowed; acknowledged.
- supposed — assumed as true, regardless of fact; hypothetical: a supposed case.
- perceived — to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses: I perceived an object looming through the mist.
Antonyms for ostensible
adjective ostensible
- real — true; not merely ostensible, nominal, or apparent: the real reason for an act.
- improbable — not probable; unlikely to be true or to happen: Rain is improbable tonight.
- obscure — (of meaning) not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain: an obscure sentence in the contract.
- unlikely — not likely to be or occur; improbable; marked by doubt.
- vague — not clearly or explicitly stated or expressed: vague promises.
Top questions with ostensible
- what is ostensible?
- what is the meaning of ostensible?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with o
- Words starting with os
- Words starting with ost
- Words starting with oste
- Words starting with osten
- Words starting with ostens
- Words starting with ostensi
- Words starting with ostensib
- Words starting with ostensibl
- Words starting with ostensible