Evidente

Evidente is a common adjective in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese meaning clear, obvious, or readily perceived. It is used to describe facts, conclusions, or appearances that do not require extensive demonstration to be understood. In Spanish, it can apply in formal and informal contexts, for example: Es evidente que necesitamos más recursos, or Un hecho evidente que no se puede ignorar.

Etymology: Evidente derives from Latin evidentem or evident-, from videre, “to see,” with a sense of something that can be seen or grasped readily. Through its Romance-language descendants, the term retains the sense of visibility and perceptual clarity.

Grammar and usage notes: Evidente is invariable for gender, as are many adjectives ending in -e in Spanish. The forms are el hecho evidente, la verdad evidente, los indicios evidentes. It often appears with ser or with impersonal constructions, such as Es evidente que... or Parece evidente que... and may be used in noun phrases like una prueba evidente or una señal evidente.

Nuance and related terms: Evidente conveys apparentness or self-evidence drawn from perception or reasoning. It is close in meaning to synonyms such as claro, patente, or palmario, and contrasts with terms like dudoso or oculto, which indicate uncertainty or concealment. The related noun evidencia refers to evidence or proof, while the adjective enfatiza the visibility or obviousness of the thing described.

Cross-linguistic notes: The cognates in Italian (evidente) and Portuguese (evidente) share the same meaning. In French, a related form évident exists, and in English the cognate is evident.