evident

Evident is an English adjective describing something that is easily seen or understood; obvious, clear to the senses or the mind. When a fact or result is evident, it is apparent and does not require extensive argument to be accepted in ordinary discourse.

Etymology: the word derives from Latin evident- meaning plain or clear, from videre “to see,” via Old French into English. The related noun is evidence, and the related verb evince means to show clearly.

Usage: It is commonly used with be, as in “It is evident that …,” to introduce a conclusion grounded in facts. It can describe a person’s abilities or the clarity of a situation, as in “Her competence was evident from the outcome.” In philosophy or formal writing, “self-evident” is used of propositions that are true in themselves and require no further demonstration.

Forms: the adverb form is evidently. Synonyms include obvious, apparent, clear, and manifest. The senses are subtle but distinct: evident emphasizes perceptual clarity, while self-evident emphasizes intrinsic truth or self-evidence.

See also: evince; evidence; self-evident.