superficial
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English
Etymology
Borrowing from Late Latin superficiālis (“of or belonging to the surface”), from superficiēs (“top, surface”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌsuː.pəˈfɪʃ.əl/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˌsu.pɚˈfɪʃ.əl/
Audio (US) (file)
- Rhymes: -ɪʃəl
Adjective
superficial (comparative more superficial, superlative most superficial)
- (relational) Existing, occurring, or located on the surface.
- Synonym: surficial
- Appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.
- Synonym: external
- Not thorough, deep, or complete; concerned only with the obvious or apparent.
- Synonyms: cursory, skin-deep, surface-level
- Antonyms: in-depth, thorough
- 1992, Rudolf M Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page vii:
- Secondly, I continue to base my concepts on intensive study of a limited suite of collections, rather than superficial study of every packet that comes to hand.
- Lacking depth of character or understanding; lacking substance or significance.
- Synonym: shallow
- Antonym: substantive
- 2014, "Little Green Men": A Primer on Modern Russian Unconventional Warfare, Ukraine 2013–2014, Fort Bragg, North Carolina: The United States Army Special Operations Command, page 43:
- These infamous little green men appeared during the decisive seizures or buildings and facilities, only to disappear when associated militias and local troops arrived to consolidate the gains. In this way they provided a measure of deniability—however superficial or implausible—for Moscow.40
- (rare) Two-dimensional; drawn on a flat surface.
- (British, architecture) Denoting a quantity of a material expressed in terms of area covered rather than linear dimension or volume.
- Synonym: square
- one superficial foot
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
existing or located on the surface
|
on or immediately beneath the skin
|
appearing to be true
|
not thorough, concerned with the obvious or apparent
|
lacking understanding or substance
|
two-dimensional, drawn on a flat surface
|
architecture: denoting a quantity in terms of area
See also
- (anatomy): topical
Noun
superficial (plural superficials)
- (usually in the plural) A surface detail.
- He always concentrates on the superficials and fails to see the real issue.
Related terms
- superfice (archaic)
References
- “superficial”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
- “superficial”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
Catalan
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin superficiālis.
Pronunciation
Adjective
superficial m or f (masculine and feminine plural superficials)
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “superficial” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “superficial”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
- “superficial” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “superficial” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Galician
Etymology
From Latin superficiālis.
Pronunciation
Adjective
superficial m or f (plural superficiais)
- superficial
- surficial; of the surface
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “superficial” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.
Interlingua
Adjective
superficial (not comparable)
- superficial (pertaining to the surface)
Related terms
Portuguese
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin superficiālis. By surface analysis, superfície + -al.
Pronunciation
Adjective
superficial m or f (plural superficiais)
- superficial (comprising a surface)
- camada superficial ― surface layer
- superficial; shallow (not reaching or penetrating deep)
- ferida superficial ― superficial wound
- shallow (overly concerned with superficial matters)
- pessoa superficial ― shallow person
- superficial (lacking thoroughness or attention to minor details)
- análise superficial ― superficial analysis
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French superficiel. By surface analysis, superficie + -al.
Adjective
superficial m or n (feminine singular superficială, masculine plural superficiali, feminine and neuter plural superficiale)
- shallow (about people)
Declension
Declension of superficial
| singular | plural | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
| nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | superficial | superficială | superficiali | superficiale | ||
| definite | superficialul | superficiala | superficialii | superficialele | |||
| genitive/ dative |
indefinite | superficial | superficiale | superficiali | superficiale | ||
| definite | superficialului | superficialei | superficialilor | superficialelor | |||
Related terms
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin superficiālis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Spain) /supeɾfiˈθjal/
- IPA(key): (Latin America) /supeɾfiˈsjal/
- Rhymes: -al
- Syllabification: su‧per‧fi‧cial
Adjective
superficial m or f (masculine and feminine plural superficiales)
- superficial
- shallow (lacking substance)
- Antonym: profundo
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “superficial”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014