superficial

/ˌsuːpəˈfɪʃəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: superficials

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Existing, occurring, or located on the surface.

Adjective

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Existing, occurring, or located on the surface. — Close to the surface of the body; especially, situated or occurring on the skin or immediately beneath it.

Adjective

Examples

superficial muscles

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A surface detail.

Noun

Examples

He always concentrates on the superficials and fails to see the real issue.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “superficial” mean?

Existing, occurring, or located on the surface.

Is “superficial” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.