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Ostensible vs Ostentate - What's the difference?

ostensible | ostentate |

As an adjective ostensible

is apparent, evident; meant for open display.

As a verb ostentate is

(obsolete) to make an ambitious display of; to show or exhibit boastingly.

ostensible

English

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.

    Derived terms

    * ostensibly

    Antonyms

    * (meant for open display)

    Related terms

    * ostensive * ostentatious * ostentation

    References

    * ----

    ostentate

    English

    Verb

    (ostentat)
  • (obsolete) To make an ambitious display of; to show or exhibit boastingly.
    • (Jeremy Taylor)
    (Webster 1913) ----