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Appearance

//əˈpɪə.ɹəns// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye. countable, uncountable

    "His sudden appearance surprised me."

  2. 2
    the act of appearing in public view wordnet
  3. 3
    A thing seen; a phenomenon; an apparition. countable, uncountable

    "There was a strange appearance in the sky."

  4. 4
    pretending that something is the case in order to make a good impression wordnet
  5. 5
    The way something looks; personal presence countable, uncountable

    "And now am come to ſee of whom ſuch noiſe Hath walk'd about, and each limb to ſurvey, If thy appearance anſwer loud report."

Show 9 more definitions
  1. 6
    formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action wordnet
  2. 7
    Apparent likeness; the way which something or someone appears to others. countable, uncountable

    "Some people say I'm shallow because I care so much about my appearance."

  3. 8
    outward or visible aspect of a person or thing wordnet
  4. 9
    That which is not substance, essence, hypostasis; the outward reality as opposed to the underlying reality countable, uncountable

    "Catholicism teaches that the Eucharist, while remaining under the physical appearance of bread and wine, becomes really and truly the body and the blood of Christ."

  5. 10
    a mental representation wordnet
  6. 11
    The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public in a particular character. countable, uncountable

    "A person makes his appearance as an historian, an artist, or an orator."

  7. 12
    the event of coming into sight wordnet
  8. 13
    An instance of someone coming into a court of law to be part of a trial, lawsuit or other proceeding, either in person or represented by an attorney or such like; a court appearance countable, uncountable
  9. 14
    Chiefly used by nurses: the act of defecation by a patient. countable, uncountable

    "The patient had a small bowel obstruction and there was no appearance until after the obstruction resolved."

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French apparence, from Latin apparentia, from appareo. Morphologically appear + -ance. Doublet of apparence and apparency. Displaced native Old English hīew (“the way something looks or seems”) and ætīewednes (“act of appearing or coming into view”).

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