Ostensibly

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /ɒˈstɛn.sɪ.bli/

Definitions

1. Apparently or seemingly; in a way that appears to be true or genuine but may not actually be
2. In a manner that seems to indicate one thing while potentially concealing the truth behind a situation
3. In a way that looks true or real but might hide the actual facts

Etymology: "Ostensibly" is a plain formation: the adjective "ostensible" with the adverbial ending "-ly" added. The adjective "ostensible" is itself borrowed from French, drawn from Latin "ostendere", meaning "to show" or "to present to view." An ostensible reason is therefore one that is shown or put forward, whether or not it is the true one, and that gap between display and reality is what the adverb carries. The ending comes from Old English "-līċe", which turned into Middle English "-ly" and attached itself to countless adjectives over the centuries. Its ancestry reaches back through Proto-Germanic forms to a root meaning "body" or "form," so the suffix quietly means "in the manner of" something. "Ostensibly" thus means "in the manner of what is shown."

Synonyms: apparently, seemingly, outwardly, superficially, presumably

Antonyms: actually, really, truthfully, genuinely, authentically