I asserted that up is down. That statement is false on its face.
I feel like I've seen at least one single word that means "on its face." Words with close etymology and meaning
- Superficial. If ficial were a word that would do the job.
- Prima facie has the right meaning in actual use: "That statement is prima facie false." But that's two words. I'm also not satisfied because it literally means "on first face." What I am looking for wouldn't be so qualified: It means that the qualified thing is that way no matter how many times or how deeply we look at it.
- Close but not quite: Obviously and its synonyms – clearly, indisputably, undeniably. These all have at least some connotation that the thing so qualified could be or is in dispute, but that the dispute is rejected. I want a word that refers to the nature of the thing and whose connotation is that no dispute can even be entertained. E.g., "A false statement is false on its face."