superficial

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)

1. (relational) Existing, occurring, or located on the surface.

   Synonym: surficial

   2. (anatomy, relational, often with to) Closer to the surface of the body; especially, situated or occurring on the skin or immediately beneath it.

      Antonym: deep

      superficial muscles

      The epidermis is superficial to the subcutis.

2. Appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.

   Synonym: external

3. 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[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →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.

   1. ​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

4. (rare) Two-dimensional; drawn on a flat surface.
5. (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

Noun

superficial (plural superficials)

1. (usually in the plural) A surface detail.

   He always concentrates on the superficials and fails to see the real issue.

References

• “superficial”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “superficial”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin superficiālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [su.pər.fi.siˈal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [su.peɾ.fi.siˈal]

Adjective

superficial m or f (masculine and feminine plural superficials)

1. superficial

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.

Etymology

From Latin superficiālis.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: su‧per‧fi‧cial

Adjective

superficial m or f (plural superficiais)

1. superficial
2. surficial; of the surface

Further reading

• “superficial”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2024

Adjective

superficial (not comparable)

1. superficial (pertaining to the surface)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin superficiālis. By surface analysis, superfície +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: su‧per‧fi‧ci‧al

Adjective

superficial m or f (plural superficiais)

1. superficial (comprising a surface)

   camada superficial ― surface layer

2. superficial; shallow (not reaching or penetrating deep)

   ferida superficial ― superficial wound

3. shallow (overly concerned with superficial matters)

   pessoa superficial ― shallow person

4. superficial (lacking thoroughness or attention to minor details)

   análise superficial ― superficial analysis

Further reading

• “superficial”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2024

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)

1. shallow (about people)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin superficiālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /supeɾfiˈθjal/ [su.peɾ.fiˈθjal]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /supeɾfiˈsjal/ [su.peɾ.fiˈsjal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: su‧per‧fi‧cial

Adjective

superficial m or f (masculine and feminine plural superficiales)

1. superficial
2. shallow (lacking substance)

   Antonym: profundo

Further reading

• “superficial”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10