surface

[ sur-fis ]

/ ˈsɜr fɪs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR surface ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the outer face, outside, or exterior boundary of a thing; outermost or uppermost layer or area.

any face of a body or thing: the six surfaces of a cube.

extent or area of outer face; superficial area.

the outward appearance, especially as distinguished from the inner nature: to look below the surface of a matter.

Geometry. any figure having only two dimensions; part or all of the boundary of a solid.

land or sea transportation, rather than air, underground, or undersea transportation.

Aeronautics. an airfoil.

adjective

of, on, or pertaining to the surface; external.

apparent rather than real; superficial: to be guilty of surface judgments.

of, relating to, or via land or sea: surface mail.

Linguistics. belonging to a late stage in the transformational derivation of a sentence; belonging to the surface structure.

verb (used with object), sur·faced, sur·fac·ing.

to finish the surface of; give a particular kind of surface to; make even or smooth.

to bring to the surface; cause to appear openly: Depth charges surfaced the sub. So far we've surfaced no applicants.

verb (used without object), sur·faced, sur·fac·ing.

to rise to the surface: The submarine surfaced after four days.

to work on or at the surface.

Nearby words

Origin of surface

1605–15; < French, equivalent to sur- sur-¹ + face face, apparently modeled on Latin superficies superficies

Related formssur·face·less, adjectivesur·fac·er, nounnon·sur·face, noun, adjectiveun·sur·faced, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for surface

The more resources and education society becomes equipped with, the fewer stories like yours will surface.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen|Parker Molloy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The most exciting and thrillingly unique artist to surface in 2014.
The 10 Best Albums of 2014: Taylor Swift, Sia, Run the Jewels, and More|Marlow Stern|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, making sure that the bowl does not touch the surface of the water.
Carla Hall’s Christmas Day Treat: Rum Balls|Carla Hall|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You can go as deep as you like, or float about on the surface.
D’Angelo’s ‘Black Messiah’ Was Worth Waiting 15 Years For|James Joiner|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Its fissures are forever present and not that far beneath the surface of every day life.
The Wildly Peaceful, Human, Almost Boring, Ultimately Great New York City Protests for Eric Garner|Mike Barnicle|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A large proportion of mammals have the surface fairly uniformly covered with hair of one kind only.
The Vertebrate Skeleton|Sidney H. Reynolds
This boat, which floats upon the surface of the water until the larv are disclosed, is placed there by the female gnat.
An Introduction to Entomology: Vol. III (of 4)|William Kirby
The surface is porous; the cells are distant and arranged irregularly, and seem as if composed of sand cemented with mud.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold
I was no longer beneath the surface of the earth but was somewhere in the massive concrete structure of the City of Berlin.
City of Endless Night|Milo Hastings
Sometimes for an instant he scanned the surface of the lake for signs of breaking fish or splash of migrant water bird.
The Harvester|Gene Stratton Porter

British Dictionary definitions for surface

surface

/ (ˈsɜːfɪs) /

noun

the exterior face of an object or one such face
(as modifier)surface gloss

the area or size of such a face
(as modifier)surface measurements

material resembling such a face, with length and width but without depth

the superficial appearance as opposed to the real nature
(as modifier)a surface resemblance

geometry

the complete boundary of a solid figure
a continuous two-dimensional configuration

the uppermost level of the land or sea
(as modifier)surface transportation

come to the surface to emerge; become apparent

on the surface to all appearances

verb

to rise or cause to rise to or as if to the surface (of water, etc)

(tr) to treat the surface of, as by polishing, smoothing, etc

(tr) to furnish with a surface

(intr) mining

to work at or near the ground surface
to wash surface ore deposits

(intr) to become apparent; emerge

(intr) informal

to wake up
to get up

Derived Formssurfaceless, adjectivesurfacer, noun

Word Origin for surface

C17: from French, from sur on + face face, probably on the model of Latin superficies

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for surface

surface

1610s, from French surface "outermost boundary of anything, outside part" (16c.), from Old French sur- "above" (see sur-) + face (see face (n.)). Patterned on Latin superficies "surface" (see superficial).

surface

"come to the surface," 1898, from surface (n.). Earlier it meant "bring to the surface" (1885), and "to give something a polished surface" (1778). Related: Surfaced; surfacing.

Medicine definitions for surface

surface

[ sûr′fəs ]

n.

The outer or topmost part of a solid structure.

Idioms and Phrases with surface

surface

see on the surface; scratch the surface.

surface

noun

adjective

verb (used with object), sur·faced, sur·fac·ing.

verb (used without object), sur·faced, sur·fac·ing.

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surface

noun

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Word Origin for surface

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