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UK [ˌsuːpə(r)ˈfɪʃ(ə)l] / US [ˌsupərˈfɪʃ(ə)l] adjective
1) affecting or involving only the surface or outside part of something

Her injuries were only superficial.

The house suffered superficial damage from the flood.

2) not complete or thorough

The study is too superficial for us to reach any conclusion.

I have only a superficial knowledge of the subject.

She made a quick and superficial examination of the car.

3)
a) a superficial person does not think about serious or important things

Sarah is so superficial – she only cares about how she looks.

He writes about living in a greedy and superficial society.

b) not important or not having a serious effect

We talked about superficial topics like sport and the weather.

These are superficial policy changes that help no one.

4) used for describing the way that something appears or seems to be although it is really not like this

Any similarities between the countries are merely superficial.

The monkeys bear a superficial resemblance but are in fact quite distinct.

5) formal in or part of the top layer of something such as skin, soil, or rock

Derived words:
superficiality
UK [ˌsuːpə(r)fɪʃɪˈælətɪ] / US [ˌsupərfɪʃɪˈælətɪ] noun uncountable
superficially
UK / US adverb

English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Superficial — Su per*fi cial, a. [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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • superficial — SUPERFICIÁL, Ă, superficiali, e, adj. Care apare, se produce, rămâne la suprafaţa unui obiect, a unei fiinţe; fig. care apare, se produce, rămâne la suprafaţă, fără să atingă miezul, esenţa lucrurilor. ♦ fig. (Despre oameni) Care tratează… …   Dicționar Român

  • superficial — superficial, shallow, cursory, uncritical can mean lacking in depth, solidity, and comprehensiveness. Superficial applies chiefly to persons, their minds, their emotions, their attainments, or their utterances or writings, but it is also… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • superficial — adjetivo 1. De la superficie: quemadura superficial, capa superficial. 2. Que no tiene solidez ni profundidad, o que se queda en la superficie: amistad superficial, conversación superficial. 3. Uso/registro: coloquial. Pragmática …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • superficial — [so͞o΄pər fish′əl] adj. [ME superficyall < L superficialis < superficies: see SUPERFICIES] 1. a) of or being on the surface [a superficial burn] b) of or limited to surface area; plane [superficial measurements] 2. concerned with and… …   English World dictionary

  • Superficial — is a general term meaning regarding the surface , often metaphorically. Both in the literal as in the metaphorical sense the term has often a negative connotation based on the idea that deeper parts are also important to consider.In human anatomy …   Wikipedia

  • superficial — (Del lat. superficiālis). 1. adj. Perteneciente o relativo a la superficie. 2. Que está o se queda en ella. 3. Aparente, sin solidez ni sustancia. 4. Frívolo, sin fundamento. ☛ V. estructura superficial, tensión superficial …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Superficial — (Superficiär, v. lat.), oberflächlich, auf der Oberfläche befindlich, dieselbe allein angehend …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • superficial — 1. relacionado con la piel o con otra superficie. 2. que no es grave ni peligroso. Diccionario Mosby Medicina, Enfermería y Ciencias de la Salud, Ediciones Hancourt, S.A. 1999 …   Diccionario médico

  • superficial — I adjective careless, cursory, depthless, desultory, empty, exterior, external, frivolous, hasty, hurried, inane, insubstantial, lax, /ev/s, outward, perfunctory, sciolistic, shallow, shoal, silly, skin deep, slapdash, slight, surface, trifling,… …   Law dictionary

  • superficial — late 14c., in anatomical and mathematical uses, of or relating to a surface, from L. superficialis of or pertaining to the surface, from superficies surface, from super above, over (see SUPER (Cf. super )) + facies form, face (see FACE (Cf. face) …   Etymology dictionary

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