Patently means so plainly that nobody could miss it. Patently obvious, patently false, patently unfair.
It is nearly always followed by obvious, false or unfair, and it is doing rhetorical work, since saying something is patently false dares the reader to disagree. The patent in it means open, which is also why a patent is a public document.
1adverbpatentlySo plainly that nobody could miss it.
“His excuse was patently untrue, since we'd all seen him at the party.”
patently is a manner.
Middle English
patent — document granting an office, property, right, title, etc.; document granting permission, licence; papal indulgence, pardon
English
patent
English, today
patently
From patent + -ly. patent The noun is derived from Middle English patent (“document granting an office, property, right, title, etc.; document granting permission, licence; papal indulgence, pardon”)patente, patentt, which is either:
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA