How Do You Spell OSTENSIBLY?

Pronunciation: [ɒstˈɛnsəbli] (IPA)

Ostensibly (/ɒˈstɛnsɪbli/ or /əˈstɛnsəbli/) is a word that means apparently, seemingly or on the surface. The spelling of ostensibly can be challenging as it has a silent 'b' and 't' sound which can be confusing for non-native speakers. The 'b' comes after the letter 's' which can be a common mistake for those unfamiliar with the word. The sound of 't' can also be skipped while pronouncing the word. However, with practice, one can master the spelling and pronunciation of ostensibly.

OSTENSIBLY Meaning and Definition

1. Ostensibly is an adverb that describes an action, situation, or idea that appears to be true, real, or genuine on the surface but may not necessarily be so in reality. It refers to something that is presented outwardly or openly, often with the intention of conveying a particular impression or purpose.

   The word ostensibly emphasizes the contrast between what is apparent and what may actually be true. It implies that there is a deeper or hidden motive behind the appearance or the stated reason for something. It suggests that the observable or visible facts may not fully represent the underlying reality or true intentions.

   For example, if a government introduces a new policy ostensibly to protect the environment, but critics argue that its true purpose is to gain political favor, they are suggesting that the stated reason for the policy may not be the real or ultimate goal.

   Another example could be a person who seemingly supports a charitable cause ostensibly for altruistic reasons but may have ulterior motives, such as gaining attention or benefiting from associated publicity.

   In summary, ostensibly describes something that is presented or stated openly or outwardly, but with a suggestion that there might be hidden motives or a discrepancy between appearance and reality. It implies that there is more to a situation than meets the eye or that things might not be as they seem.

Top Common Misspellings for OSTENSIBLY *

• obstensibly 100%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for OSTENSIBLY

• otensible
• estensivly
• ostensiby
• obstensible
• istensibly
• kstensibly
• lstensibly
• pstensibly
• 0stensibly
• 9stensibly
• oatensibly
• oztensibly
• oxtensibly
• odtensibly
• ostensibley
• ostinsibly

Etymology of OSTENSIBLY

The word "ostensibly" came into English in the early 19th century from the Latin word "ostensible", which means "that which is to be shown". The Latin word is derived from the verb "ostendere", meaning "to show" or "to display". The term "ostensibly" is used to describe something that appears or claims to be one way but may not necessarily be true or accurate.

Similar spelling words for OSTENSIBLY

• ostensible,
• ostensive.