surface

[ sur-fis ]

/ ˈsɜr fɪs /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: surface / surfaced / surfaces / surfacing 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.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of surface

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

OTHER WORDS FROM surface

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

Words nearby surface

Sûreté, sure thing, surety, suretyship, surf, surface, surface acoustic wave, surface-active, surface-active agent, surface boundary layer, surface condenser

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use surface in a sentence

Then tipped my feet up, pushed below the surface and held my breath, listening.
A Maui vacation in three acts|Alex Pulaski|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Meticulous in construction, Wu’s patterns nonetheless slip, slide and oscillate — much like images made by simply brushing paint onto a surface.
In the galleries: Rejuvenating the obsolete into unconventional art|Mark Jenkins|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Three and a half billion years ago, all but a couple percent of the Earth’s surface was deep underwater, researchers have estimated, and LUCA lived far before that.
Your ancestors might have been Martians|Charlie Wood|February 12, 2021|Popular-Science
Make sure your mask stays folded so the inside doesn’t touch any other surface.
Why you shouldn’t ever wear your mask around your neck|Erin Fennessy|February 11, 2021|Popular-Science

After entering orbit, it will begin a landing attempt with the aim to place the rover on the surface in the massive impact basin Utopia Planitia.
Check out the first images of Mars from China’s Tianwen-1 probe|Erin Fennessy|February 10, 2021|Popular-Science
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
Nicki treats the obsession with her pop ambitions as an irrelevant, surface-level irritation.
Nicki Minaj Bares Her Own Vulnerability on ‘The Pinkprint’|Rawiya Kameir|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
First a shower of shells dropping all along the lower ridges and out over the surface of the Bay.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Some of those halls that Mr. Meadow Mouse mentioned ran right out beneath the surface of the garden.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
It depends upon the fact that bile acids lower surface tension.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
She did shout for joy, as with a sweeping stroke or two she lifted her body to the surface of the water.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Its vitals were going—were gone, before the smallest indications of mischief appeared upon the surface.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various

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 forms of surface

surfaceless, 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

Other Idioms and Phrases with surface

surface

see on the surface; scratch the surface.

surface

Origin of surface

OTHER WORDS FROM surface

Words nearby surface

Words related to surface

How to use surface in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for surface

Derived forms of surface

Word Origin for surface

Other Idioms and Phrases with surface