in a general sense, something that is visible to the eyes, or obvious to the understanding.

among mathematicians and astronomers, denotes things as they appear to us, in contradistinction from real or true: thus we say, the apparent diameter, distance, magnitude, place, figure, &c. of bodies.

APPARENT heir, in Scots law, the person entitled to succeed to the estate of a deceased, before he is actually entered. See Scots Law, title, Succession in heritable rights.