apparent adj.

late 13c., "come into view," from stem of Old French aparoir, aperer "appear, come to light, come forth" (12c., Modern French apparoir), from Latin apparere "to appear, come in sight, make an appearance," from ad "to" (see ad-) + parere "to come forth, be visible; submit, obey," which is of uncertain origin; de Vaan says from a PIE *prh-o- "providing."

Of persons, "present oneself," late 14c. The meaning "seem, have a certain appearance" is late 14c. Related: Appeared; appearing.

"one who inherits, or has right of inheritance in, the property of another," c. 1300, from Anglo-French heir, Old French oir "heir, successor; heritage, inheritance," from Latin heredem (nominative heres) "heir, heiress" (see heredity). Heir apparent (late 14c.) has the French order of noun-adjective, though it was not originally so written in English. It is the heir of one still alive whose right is clear. After death the heir apparent becomes the heir-at-law. Related: Heir-apparency.

late 14c., "visibly, openly," from apparent + -ly (2). The meaning "evidently" is from 1550s; that of "to all appearances" (but not necessarily "really") is from 1560s; the sense of "so far as can be judged" is by 1846.