surface

B1 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈsɜɹ.fəs/ UK /ˈsɜː.fɪs/ See IPA manual

Freq #2299

Meanings

1

noun
The outer or top layer of something.

The table has a smooth, shiny surface.
2

noun
The top of an area of water or land.

Bubbles rose to the surface of the pond.
3

noun
The outward appearance of something, as opposed to its true nature.

On the surface he seemed calm, but inside he was nervous.
4

verb
To rise to the top of water, or to become known or visible.

The diver surfaced after two minutes.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

oversidesuperfice

Word family

Forms surfacedsurfacessurfacing

Derived forms air-to-surfaceantisurfacearchaeosurfacecavosurfacecountersurfacedesurfaceeigensurfaceergosurfacehypersurfaceintersurfaceisosurfaceland-surface

Related forms surficial

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

surface tension
the effect of molecular attraction that makes a liquid's surface resist being stretched

Noun + noun
surface condenser
a heat exchanger that turns steam into liquid by cooling it against a surface

Noun + noun
reflective surface
an outer layer that sends back light or sound

Adjective + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

scratch the surface
To examine or deal with only a small, superficial part of a larger subject.

Simplified etymology

Surface entered English in the late 16th century from French, where it had been coined from Latin superficies, “surface.” The related word superficial came directly from the same Latin source.

Etymology

From Middle French surface. By surface analysis, sur- + face. Doublet of superficies.

surface Middle French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# surface

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɜɹ.fəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɜː.fɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 2299

## Meanings
1. The outer or top layer of something.
2. The top of an area of water or land.
3. The outward appearance of something, as opposed to its true nature.
4. To rise to the top of water, or to become known or visible.

## Examples
- The table has a smooth, shiny surface.
- Bubbles rose to the surface of the pond.
- On the surface he seemed calm, but inside he was nervous.
- The diver surfaced after two minutes.

## Synonyms
- overside
- superfice

## Derived Forms
- air-to-surface
- antisurface
- archaeosurface
- cavosurface
- countersurface
- desurface
- eigensurface
- ergosurface
- hypersurface
- intersurface
- isosurface
- land-surface

## Related Forms
- surficial

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: surface

## Etymology
From Middle French surface. By surface analysis, sur- + face. Doublet of superficies.

## AI Etymology
Surface is from Middle French surface. By surface analysis, sur- + face. Doublet of superficies. In present-day use, it can mean the outer or top layer of something, or the top of an area of water or land. Derived formations include air-to-surface, antisurface, archaeosurface, cavosurface, countersurface.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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