Semblants

Semblants is the plural form of semblant, a noun used to denote appearance or outward show. The term derives from French, where semblant means appearance, pretence, or likeness. In English, semblant is somewhat archaic or specialized, with semblants appearing mainly in scholarly or literary contexts where nuance about surface features is important.

In philosophy, semblants are readings of appearances that present themselves as real or substantial while not necessarily revealing the underlying truth or reality. The concept is often contrasted with deeper causes, essences, or mechanisms that lie beyond surface appearances. Discussions of semblants typically address how perception, representation, and social signs can mislead or mask what lies beneath, as well as how language and images shape our understanding of objects and events.

In literary and critical contexts, semblants describe outward traits, gestures, or scenes that function as masks, signals, or disguises. Writers and critics may analyze how a character’s semblants—behavior, dress, or dialogue—create impression management, irony, or suspense, sometimes concealing motives or structural roles within a narrative.

Semblants are related to, but distinct from, terms such as appearance, semblance, illusion, and representation. While semblance and semblant can overlap with general notions of how things seem, the plural form often signals multiple surface features or layers of appearance considered in a systematic or theoretical way.

See also: semblance, appearance, illusion, representation, surface interpretation.