Definition of "Appearance"

The appearance definition isn’t as one might expect. The term itself is used in different ways, but they all are connected with perception or how something or someone is seen or perceived by another party. While appearance is also used to state the physical location, arrival, or presence of someone, for example, someone making an appearance by showing up in a particular place, the word is most often used from a philosophical perspective.

What is the Definition of Appearance?

The most well-grounded definition of appearance is the one that limits the term appearance into the physical. The act or fact of appearing is used to describe someone’s physical appearance in front of the eye and the mind of the public. This same meaning is often used as a term in legal practices for someone coming into a court proceeding.

However, going into the less grounded meanings and uses of the word, we get into the philosophical explanation. The term appearance, in philosophy, regards something or someone that seems to be based on the perception of a thing and not its objective reality. 

Through philosophy, the term appearance is used in contradiction with reality. From the cosmologies that governed Asia Minor to Plato, Kant, and Indian philosophy, there was a distinguishable difference between appearance and reality, the first not being a synonym of the other but, in a way, its opposite. The reason for that is that appearance is based on our perception of the truth, while the reality is based on facts and logic. Because of that, today’s usage of the term appearance is split. On the one hand, we have the physical appearance as presence; on the other, we have the manner, condition, state of appearance based on perception.

Some synonyms of the word appearance are air, aspect, arrival, coming, figure, look, manner, mien, presence, and pretense.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Information that is factual, such as representations made by a real estate broker to a prospective buyer. ...

Hallow masonry wall consisting of an inner and outer wall with dead air space between them. The air space provides increased thermal insulation. Cavity walls are not used in northern ...

Person or business that provides an option to someone else. ...

Geographic location that is gradually being developed as an urban area. ...

Organizational governing group. Either an appointed or elected body overseeing the management of an organization and rendering advice on current issues. Members are legally responsible for ...

The add-on interest is a type of interest that is figured into the total cost of a loan over its entire life. The interest is added to the principal and divided by the number of monthly ...

Literature, samples, equipment, tools, and other useful information that real estate brokers or agents can use for demonstration purposes to prospective buyers. ...

Style of architecture popular during the American Colonial Period. The 2-story house is square or rectangular. The steep gable roof extends down to the first floor in the rear. ...

As you’d expect, the rod has various meanings in everyday discourse. However, lesser-known is that surveyors use a rod as a land survey measurement for real estate. In a nutshell, a ...

Popular Real Estate Questions