superficial
English Edit
Etymology Edit
Borrowing from Late Latin superficiālis (“of or belonging to the surface”), from superficiēs (“top, surface”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).
Pronunciation Edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌsuː.pəˈfɪʃ.əl/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˌsu.pɚˈfɪʃ.əl/
Audio (US) (file)
- Rhymes: -ɪʃəl
Adjective Edit
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[athias] 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[1], 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.
- (Britain, 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 Edit
Related terms Edit
Translations Edit
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See also Edit
- (anatomy): topical
Noun Edit
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 Edit
- superfice (archaic)
References Edit
- “superficial”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
- “superficial”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
Catalan Edit
Etymology Edit
Borrowed from Latin superficiālis.
Pronunciation Edit
- (Balearic) IPA(key): /su.pəɾ.fi.siˈal/
- (Central) IPA(key): /su.pər.fi.siˈal/
- (Valencian) IPA(key): /su.peɾ.fi.siˈal/
Adjective Edit
superficial m or f (masculine and feminine plural superficials)
Derived terms Edit
Related terms Edit
Further reading Edit
- “superficial” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “superficial”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
- “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 Edit
Etymology Edit
From Latin superficiālis.
Pronunciation Edit
Adjective Edit
superficial m or f (plural superficiais)
- superficial
- surficial; of the surface
Derived terms Edit
Related terms Edit
Further reading Edit
- “superficial” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.
Interlingua Edit
Adjective Edit
superficial (not comparable)
- superficial (pertaining to the surface)
Related terms Edit
Portuguese Edit
Etymology Edit
Learned borrowing from Latin superficiālis. By surface analysis, superfície + -al.
Pronunciation Edit
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /su.peʁ.fi.siˈaw/ [su.peh.fi.sɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /su.peʁ.fiˈsjaw/ [su.peh.fiˈsjaʊ̯]
- (São Paulo) IPA(key): /su.peɾ.fi.siˈaw/ [su.peɾ.fi.sɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /su.peɾ.fiˈsjaw/ [su.peɾ.fiˈsjaʊ̯]
- (Rio de Janeiro) IPA(key): /su.peʁ.fi.siˈaw/ [su.peχ.fi.sɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /su.peʁ.fiˈsjaw/ [su.peχ.fiˈsjaʊ̯]
- (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /su.peɻ.fi.siˈaw/ [su.peɻ.fi.sɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /su.peɻ.fiˈsjaw/ [su.peɻ.fiˈsjaʊ̯]
Adjective Edit
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 Edit
Related terms Edit
Further reading Edit
- “superficial” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.
Romanian Edit
Etymology Edit
Borrowed from French superficiel. By surface analysis, superficie + -al.
Adjective Edit
superficial m or n (feminine singular superficială, masculine plural superficiali, feminine and neuter plural superficiale)
- shallow (about people)
Declension Edit
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 Edit
Spanish Edit
Etymology Edit
Borrowed from Latin superficiālis.
Pronunciation Edit
- IPA(key): (Spain) /supeɾfiˈθjal/ [su.peɾ.fiˈθjal]
- IPA(key): (Latin America) /supeɾfiˈsjal/ [su.peɾ.fiˈsjal]
- Rhymes: -al
- Syllabification: su‧per‧fi‧cial
Adjective Edit
superficial m or f (masculine and feminine plural superficiales)
- superficial
- shallow (lacking substance)
- Antonym: profundo
Derived terms Edit
Related terms Edit
Further reading Edit
- “superficial”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014