SUPERFICIAL

casual, cursory, passing, perfunctory, superficial

(adjective) hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough; “a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house’s structural flaws”; “a passing glance”; “perfunctory courtesy”; “In his paper, he showed a very superficial understanding of psychoanalytic theory”

superficial

(adjective) occurring on or near the surface of the skin; “superficial burns”; “superficial facial injuries”

superficial

(adjective) concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually; “superficial similarities”; “a superficial mind”; “his thinking was superficial and fuzzy”; “superficial knowledge”; “the superficial report didn’t give the true picture”; “only superficial differences”

superficial, trivial

(adjective) of little substance or significance; “a few superficial editorial changes”; “only trivial objections”

superficial

(adjective) of, affecting, or being on or near the surface; “superficial measurements”; “the superficial area of the wall”; “a superficial wound”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

superficial (comparative more superficial, superlative most superficial)

Of or pertaining to the surface.

Being near the surface.

Shallow, lacking substance.

At face value.

(rare) Two-dimensional; drawn on a flat surface.

Synonyms

• (of or pertaining to the surface): surficial

Antonyms

• in-depth

• thorough

• (lacking substance): substantive

Noun

superficial (plural superficials)

(chiefly in plural) A surface detail.

Source: Wiktionary


Su`per*fi"cial, a. Etym: [L. superficialis: cf. F. superficiel. See Superficies.]

1. Of or pertaining to the superficies, or surface; lying on the surface; shallow; not deep; as, a superficial color; a superficial covering; superficial measure or contents; superficial tillage.

2. Reaching or comprehending only what is obvious or apparent; not deep or profound; shallow; -- said especially in respect to study, learning, and the like; as, a superficial scholar; superficial knowledge. This superficial tale Is but a preface of her worthy praise. Shak. He is a presumptuous and superficial writer. Burke. That superficial judgment, which happens to be right without deserving to be so. J. H. Newman.

– Su`per*fi"cial*ly, adv.

– Su`per*fi"cial*ness, n.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

3 July 2025

SENSE

(noun) the faculty through which the external world is apprehended; “in the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearing”


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the largest coffee press is 230 cm (7 ft 6 in) in height and 72 cm (2 ft 4 in) in diameter and was created by Salzillo Tea and Coffee (Spain) in Murcia, Spain, in February 2007. The cafetière consists of a stainless steel container, a filtering piston, and a superior lid.

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