surface structure

American  

noun

Linguistics.

1. a structural representation of the final syntactic form of a sentence, as it exists after the transformational component has modified a deep structure.

2. the string of words that is actually produced.

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surface structure British  

noun

1. generative grammar a representation of a string of words or morphemes as they occur in a sentence, together with labels and brackets that represent syntactic structure Compare deep structure

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Etymology

Origin of surface structure

First recorded in 1960–65

Compare meaning

How does surface-structure compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• deep structure vs. surface structure

Example Sentences

The aim of the group is to use atomic resolution SE imaging to reveal the surface structure at the atomic level, including surface reconstruction and other unique structures formed on surfaces.

From Science Daily

"Previously, people relied on the initial surface structure to design the catalyst for both efficiency and stability. The discovery of the amorphous interphase challenges our previous understanding of solid-liquid interfaces, prompting a need to consider its effects when devising strategies," said Zhang.

From Science Daily

"Vapor explosions occur when vapor bubbles within a liquid rapidly expand due to the present of intense heat source nearby. One example of where this risk is particularly pertinent is in nuclear plants, where the surface structure of heat exchangers can influence vapor bubble growth and potentially trigger such explosions. Through our theoretical exploration in the paper, we investigate how surface structure affects the growth mode of vapor bubbles, providing valuable insights into controlling and mitigating the risk of vapor explosions."

From Science Daily

The fading-down process works as follows: Specific antibodies coupled to a cytotoxic drug recognize all blood cells in the patient's body based on a surface structure.

From Science Daily

Through this method, they were able to examine how these dopants affect the surface structure and electrochemical properties of the cathode material.

From Science Daily