Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The act or an instance of coming into sight.
  • noun The act or an instance of coming into public view.
  • noun Outward aspect.
  • noun Something that appears; a phenomenon.
  • noun A superficial aspect; a semblance.
  • noun Outward indications; circumstances.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye: as, the appearance of the sun above the horizon.
  • noun 2. The state of being in sight; visibility.
  • noun A coming into presence; the act of presenting one's self: as, his sudden appearance surprised me.
  • noun An object as seen or perceived; a phenomenon; the immediate object of experience.
  • noun Something believed to have a supernatural character; an apparition: as, an appearance in the sky.
  • noun That which appears or is obvious; outward show or seeming; semblance as apart from reality or substance: as, there is an appearance of trouble yonder; appearances are against him.
  • noun Outward look or aspect; mien; build and carriage; figure: as, a man of noble appearance.
  • noun plural Indications; look.
  • noun The act of coming before the public; the act of coming into public notice: as, he made his appearance as a historian; the appearance of a book.
  • noun . Seeming; probability; likelihood.
  • noun In law: The coming into court of either of the parties to a suit; the being present in court as a party to a pending proceeding; the coming into court of a party summoned in a process, either in person or by his attorney, usually expressed by a formal entry by the proper officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a party proceeded against places himself before the court and submits to its jurisdiction. In Scots law, the stating of a defense in a cause.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye.
  • noun A thing seed; a phenomenon; a phase; an apparition.
  • noun Personal presence; exhibition of the person; look; aspect; mien.
  • noun Semblance, or apparent likeness; external show. pl. Outward signs, or circumstances, fitted to make a particular impression or to determine the judgment as to the character of a person or a thing, an act or a state.
  • noun 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.
  • noun obsolete Probability; likelihood.
  • noun (Law) The coming into court of either of the parties; the being present in court; the coming into court of a party summoned in an action, either by himself or by his attorney, expressed by a formal entry by the proper officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a party proceeded against places himself before the court, and submits to its jurisdiction.
  • noun to be present; to appear in person.
  • noun to preserve a fair outward show.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye.
  • noun A thing seen; a phenomenon; an apparition.
  • noun Personal presence; look; aspect; mien.
  • noun Apparent likeness; external show; how something appears to others.
  • noun 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.
  • noun law The coming into court of either of the parties; the being present in court; the coming into court of a party summoned in an action, either by himself or by his attorney, expressed by a formal entry by the proper officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a party proceeded against places himself before the court, and submits to its jurisdiction.
  • noun medicine , chiefly used by nurses: the act of defecation by a patient.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the act of appearing in public view
  • noun formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action
  • noun a mental representation
  • noun outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
  • noun pretending that something is the case in order to make a good impression
  • noun the event of coming into sight

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French apparence, from Latin apparentia, from appareo. Displaced native Middle Englishwlite (from Middle English wlite ("appearance")).

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word appearance.

Examples

  • Dr. Kenn, having a conscience void of offence in the matter, was still inclined to persevere, —was still averse to give way before a public sentiment that was odious and contemptible; but he was finally wrought upon by the consideration of the peculiar responsibility attached to his office, of avoiding the appearance of evil, —an “appearance” that is always dependent on the average quality of surrounding minds.

    V. The Last Conflict. Book VII—The Final Rescue 1917

  • _ For this it is needful to halt bravely at the surface, at the fold, at the skin, to worship appearance, and to believe in forms, tones, words, and the whole _Olympus of appearance_!

    The Case Of Wagner, Nietzsche Contra Wagner, and Selected Aphorisms. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche 1872

  • To the wise and good he is love, both in appearance and essence; but to the foolish and evil, the very same unchangeable love assumes the _appearance_ of anger and wrath.

    Life and Labors of Elder John Kline, the Martyr Missionary Collated from his Diary by Benjamin Funk John Kline 1830

  • Violinist Chee-Yun, though still girlish in appearance, is a seasoned veteran of the world's stages whose first of many D.C. appearances was in 1988, presented by the Korean Concert Society, at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.

    Violinist Chee-Yun plays lovely Bach, Messiaen, Saint-Saens at Kennedy Center Post 2010

  • Challenging religion, no matter how satirical in appearance, is a potent formula.

    Matt’s Top 10 Films of 2009 – Collider.com 2009

  • In "Purple" to "Blue" America, a Palin appearance is somewhat akin to the quarterback having to invite that kid who always stage manages the school plays to a house party because their parents are friends and not doing so would really upset the order of things.

    HUFFPOST HILL - OCTOBER 18TH, 2010 The Huffington Post News Team 2010

  • The earthsaver hangers differ in appearance from the inexpensive plastic hangers they replace.

    18 posts from March 2007 2007

  • The earthsaver hangers differ in appearance from the inexpensive plastic hangers they replace.

    merrick earthsaver hangers 2007

  • They're very different in appearance from the ordinary pain-in-the-neck kind.

    Flooding and disease potential 2003

  • There is nothing more utterly fascinating than an abandoned South Florida phosphate-mine pool, nor is there anything farther removed in appearance from the same mine in full operation.

    The Mystery at Number Six 1922

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • "It is hard for men to dress up their appearance. And it becomes no easier with age. The lawyer must have been in his eighties, and time had removed his body structure. But his tailor had accomplished a Christian miracle. Thelight-blue suit had achieved resurrection of the flesh as far as his torso was concerned. However, tailors can't do anything above the collar. The man looked like a turtle. But one should not underestimate turtles. In the sixties, when entertainers still performed at fairs with trained reptiles, Kasper had seen hundred-year-old Russian turtles mating. They had bellowed like people."

    - 'The Quiet Girl', Peter Høeg.

    March 19, 2008