surface

[sur-fis]

noun

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

2. any face of a body or thing.

   the six surfaces of a cube.

3. extent or area of outer face; superficial area.

4. the outward appearance, especially as distinguished from the inner nature.

   to look below the surface of a matter.

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

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

7. Aeronautics.,  an airfoil.

adjective

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

2. apparent rather than real; superficial.

   to be guilty of surface judgments.

3. of, relating to, or via land or sea.

   surface mail.

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

verb (used with object)

surfaced, surfacing 

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

2. 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)

surfaced, surfacing 

1. to rise to the surface.

   The submarine surfaced after four days.

2. to work on or at the surface.

surface

/ ˈsɜːfɪs /

noun

1. 1. the exterior face of an object or one such face

   2. ( as modifier )

      surface gloss

2. 1. the area or size of such a face

   2. ( as modifier )

      surface measurements

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

4. 1. the superficial appearance as opposed to the real nature

   2. ( as modifier )

      a surface resemblance

5. geometry

   1. the complete boundary of a solid figure

   2. a continuous two-dimensional configuration

6. 1. the uppermost level of the land or sea

   2. ( as modifier )

      surface transportation

7. to emerge; become apparent

8. to all appearances

verb

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

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

3. (tr) to furnish with a surface

4. (intr) mining

   1. to work at or near the ground surface

   2. to wash surface ore deposits

5. (intr) to become apparent; emerge

6. informal,  (intr)

   1. to wake up

   2. to get up

Other Word Forms

• surfacer noun
• surfaceless adjective
• nonsurface noun
• unsurfaced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of surface¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from French; equivalent to sur- ¹ + face; apparently modeled on Latin superficies superficies

Word History and Origins

Origin of surface¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

see on the surface; scratch the surface.

Example Sentences

Their experiments showed that removing surface proteins known as HLA class 1 molecules allowed NK cells to avoid attack from T cells in the host’s immune system.

Read more on Science Daily

"At the end of the day, given certain circumstances and under certain pressures, altruism will thin and self-interest surfaces."

Read more on BBC

But allegations of corruption and other impropriety have surfaced repeatedly during Paxton’s career.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

R2-D2 had an early win: The program surfaced a company Touring invested in recently, the first of its 12 investments to be flagged via AI since the firm launched two years ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

While they were in the air, the first news reports surfaced in the U.S. saying that current H-1B holders wouldn’t be subject to the $100,000 fee.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• area 
• expanse 
• exterior 
• facade 
• face 
• façade 
• level 
• side 
• skin 
• top