superficial

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌsu.pɚˈfɪʃ.əl/ UK /ˌsuː.pəˈfɪʃ.əl/ See IPA manual

Freq #11943

Meanings

1

adj
Not deep or thorough; dealing only with the obvious.

The report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem.
2

adj
Of little real importance or substance.

They made a few superficial changes but ignored the real issues.
3

adj
On or near the surface.

The injury was superficial and healed within days.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not deep or thorough;... cursory sketchyskin-deepsurface-level

2 adj · of little real importance... trivial

3 adj · on or near the surface. surface

Word family

Forms superficiality

Derived forms nonsuperficialsuperficialisesuperficialismsuperficialistsuperficialitysuperficializesuperficiallysuperficialness

Related forms superficiarytopical

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

superficial knowledge
understanding that covers only obvious features and lacks depth

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Superficial comes from Latin superficies, “surface.” It was initially used in a literal sense and in scientific senses, but soon developed its modern senses.

Etymology

Borrowing from Late Latin superficiālis (“of or belonging to the surface”), from superficiēs (“top, surface”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

superficiālis la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# superficial

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌsu.pɚˈfɪʃ.əl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌsuː.pəˈfɪʃ.əl/
**Frequency rank:** 11943

## Meanings
1. Not deep or thorough; dealing only with the obvious.
2. Of little real importance or substance.
3. On or near the surface.

## Examples
- The report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem.
- They made a few superficial changes but ignored the real issues.
- The injury was superficial and healed within days.

## Derived Forms
- nonsuperficial
- superficialise
- superficialism
- superficialist
- superficiality
- superficialize
- superficially
- superficialness

## Related Forms
- superficiary
- topical

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: superficiālis

## Etymology
Borrowing from Late Latin superficiālis (“of or belonging to the surface”), from superficiēs (“top, surface”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

## AI Etymology
Superficial has the etymology Borrowing from Late Latin superficiālis (“of or belonging to the surface”), from superficiēs (“top, surface”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean not deep or thorough; dealing only with the obvious, or of little real importance or substance. Related forms include superficiary, topical. Derived formations include nonsuperficial, superficialise, superficialism, superficialist, superficiality.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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