surficial

[ser-fish-uh l]

adjective

of or relating to a surface, especially the land surface: a surficial geologic deposit.

Origin of surficial

1890–95; blend of surface and superficial

Related formssur·fi·cial·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for surficial

Historical Examples of surficial

The zinc oxide minerals in the surficial zone also are sometimes colored yellow by small amounts of greenockite.
The Economic Aspect of Geology
C. K. Leith
My foot-rule, my rough scale plans and piled-up figures of cubic capacity and surficial area carried all before them.
A Floating Home
Cyril Ionides
Surficial, sur-fish′al, adj. formed on the surface, as opposed to Subterranean.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)
Various