superficial
Origin of superficial
OTHER WORDS FROM superficial
Words nearby superficial
MORE ABOUT SUPERFICIAL
What does superficial mean?
Superficial describes something as being of or related to the surface, as a scratch on your arm would be a superficial wound.
Superficial can describe something that is literally close to a surface, such as a small cut, or figuratively close to the surface. When you and your sibling have the same nose shape and same eye color but don’t otherwise look like each other, you superficially look like each other. The sameness doesn’t go very far.
Example: This article is very superficial, barely sharing any details about the event.
Where does superficial come from?
The first records of the term superficial come from around 1375. It ultimately comes from the Latin superfici(ēs), meaning “the outer face,” and –ālis, meaning “of the kind of.”
One of the most common uses of superficial is to describe a wound as close to the surface of the skin. Usually superficial wounds are not threatening, which may have led to other senses, such as meaning “unimportant or trivial.” If you describe someone as superficial, you are implying that they are not thoughtful or profound and are concerned only with what’s on the surface of things.
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What are some other forms related to superficial?
- superficiality (noun)
- superficialness (noun)
- superficially (adverb)
- quasi-superficial (adjective)
What are some synonyms for superficial?
What are some words that share a root or word element with superficial?
What are some words that often get used in discussing superficial?
How is superficial used in real life?
In medical usage, superficial has a specific meaning, but in everyday usage it’s used more generally.
What I'm chasing is Rings and the HOF. The superficial stuff anybody else can have that. I just wanna be a Legend.
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) April 24, 2016
i don't like addressing rumors but the fact that people think i would do something as superficial as a publicity stunt makes me upset
— camila (@Camila_Cabello) May 1, 2014
this superficial love thing got me going crazy
— FASHIONOLOGY 🐉 (@sulivangwed) March 5, 2016
Try using superficial!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for superficial?
A. shallow
B. frivolous
C. deep
D. casual