I. |süpə(r)|fishəl adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin superficialis, from Latin superficies top, surface + -alis -al
1.
a. : of or relating to a surface : lying on, not penetrating below, occurring in, or affecting only the surface or surface layers
multiple superficial wounds of the left and right thigh — Ernest Hemingway
the superficial area of the wall — Code for Dwelling Construction
the superficial layers of water through which light penetrates — R.E.Coker
b. of a unit of measure : not solid or linear : square
superficial foot
c. : of, relating to, or being the unconsolidated formations (as glacial drift or alluvium) that constitute most of the surface of the land : surficial
2.
a.
(1) : not penetrating beneath or farther than the easily or quickly apprehended features of a thing : concerned only with the obvious or apparent : cursory , hasty , casual
the newspapers' superficial report … never gave the true picture — Farm Journal
current but mostly superficial explanations — Franz Alexander
(2) : lacking in depth or substantial qualities : not profound : shallow
his thinking was superficial and fuzzy — W.E.Davies
the religion … from which superficial knowledge estranges us — W.R.Inge
his talents were … wasted in the production of superficial trash — R.A.Hall b.1911
(3) : lacking in thoroughness of intellect, scholarship, or wisdom : not given to soundness
superficial research workers … often lack the … breadth of view to prevent them from giving absurd interpretations to their statistical results — M.R.Cohen
children who seem to care little about learning and whose minds are definitely superficial in character — Morris Fishbein
b. : seen on the surface : external
their superficial defect … cannot blind us to the sterling workmanship — W.B.Adams
superficial changes in costume and creed — Lewis Mumford
c. : presenting only an appearance or a semblance : not far-reaching, significant, or genuine
the superficial differences of accent which are inevitable in such an international language — David Abercrombie
maintaining the superficial charm of a glib intellectual — Arthur Knight
• su·per·fi·cial·ly -sh(ə)lē, -li adverb
• su·per·fi·cial·ness ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈfishəlnə̇s noun -es
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a person or thing that is superficial
2. : a superficial aspect, character, or quality
the American novel of today is only English in superficials — Times Literary Supplement