ostensibleyoudaoicibaDictYouDict[ostensible 词源字典]
ostensible: [18] Ostensible means literally ‘that can be shown’. It comes via French from medieval Latin ostensibilis, a derivative of the Latin verb ostendere ‘show’ (itself a compound formed from the prefix ob- ‘in front of’ and tendere ‘stretch’, source of English extend, tend, tense etc). Its original meaning ‘showable’ survived into English (‘You should send me two letters – one confidential, another ostensible’, Jeremy Bentham, 1828), but seems to have died out by the mid-19th century.

Two metaphorical strands came with it, though. One, ‘vainly conspicuous’, goes right back to ostendere, and is still preserved in English ostentation [15], although it has disappeared as far as ostensible is concerned. The other, ‘presented as real but not so’, is today the central meaning of the adjective.

=> extend, ostentation, tend, tense[ostensible etymology, ostensible origin, 英语词源]
extensible (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
1610s, from French extensible, from stem of Latin extendere (see extend). Earlier was extendible (late 15c.).
ostensible (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
1762, "capable of being shown, presentable," from French ostensible, from Latin ostens-, past participle stem of ostendere "to show, expose to view; to stretch out, spread before; exhibit, display," from ob "in front of" (see ob-) + tendere "to stretch" (see tenet). Meaning "apparent, professed" is from 1771.