Adjective

(en adjective)

Apparent, evident; meant for open display.

* 1956–1960 , (second edition, 1960), chapter ii: “Motives and Motivation”, page 32:

Motives, of course, may be mixed; but this only means that a man aims at a variety of goals by means of the same course of action. Similarly a man may have a strong motive or a weak one, an ulterior motive or an ostensible one.

* '>citation

In witch-trials the conflict was officially defined as between the accused and God, or between the accused and the Catholic (later Protestant) church, as God's earthly representative. [...]
Behind the ostensible conflict of the witch-trial lay the usual conflicts of social class, values, and human relationships.

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

The ostensible reason for his visit to New York was to see his mother, but the real reason was to get to the Yankees game the next day.

Adjective

(en adjective)

Obviously true by simple observation.

It was evident she was angry, after she slammed the door.

* {{quote-book, year=1907, author=

, title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=26 citation , passage=Maccario, it was evident , did not care to take the risk of blundering upon a picket, and a man led them by twisting paths until at last the hacienda rose blackly before them.}}