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Agency Dictionary

Superficiality

nounPronunciation: /ˌsuː.pərˌfɪʃ.iˈæl.ə.ti/

In Portuguese: Superficialidade

What does “Superficiality” mean?

The quality of lacking depth of character, serious thought, or profound substance, remaining confined to outward appearances.

Etymology

Formed from superficial and the suffix -ity. Superficial comes from Late Latin superficialis, "of or pertaining to the surface", from Latin superficies, "the top side, the surface", composed of super-, "above", and facies, "form, face". The abstract noun names the quality of remaining on the surface, without depth of thought or substance.

Synonyms

  • shallowness
  • triviality

Word family

  • superficial
  • superficially

Concept

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Words of the same theme

Antithesisnoun
A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
Discursiveadjective
Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
Treatisenoun
A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
Maximnoun
A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
rhetoricnoun
The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Tangibleadjective
Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
Holisticadjective
Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
Abyssnoun
A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
aestheticsnoun
A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
Affectnoun
An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.
Agapenoun
A selfless, unconditional, and altruistic form of love often associated in theology with divine charity.
Ambiguitynoun
The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or uncertainty of meaning.

Also from these editions: terms

Superfluousadjective
Exceeding what is sufficient, necessary, or useful.
Monoclenoun
A single eyeglass lens designed to correct or enhance vision in one eye, held in place by the facial muscles around the eye socket.
Pollinationnoun
The transfer of pollen grains from the male anther to the female stigma of a flower, enabling fertilization and seed production.
Desolationnoun
A state of complete emptiness, loneliness, or destruction; deep sorrow caused by abandonment or acute loss.
Discernmentnoun
The ability to judge well, perceive keen distinctions, and grasp obscure psychological or practical truths.
Dissectverb
To cut apart or systematically separate components of an organism or complex idea in order to examine its structure in detail.
Dogmaticadjective
Characterized by the expression of opinions strongly and as if they were unquestionable facts without proper evidential backing.
Empiricistnoun
A person who supports the theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience. In practice, an empiricist insists on tangible observation and verifiable testing before accepting a claim.
Ephemeraladjective
Lasting for only a very brief period of time; fleeting, transitory, or impermanent in nature.
Hemlocknoun
A highly poisonous biennial herbaceous plant of the parsley family with small white flowers, historically used as a method of state execution in classical Greece.
metamodernadjective
Relating to a cultural paradigm that oscillates between modern sincerity and postmodern irony.
Obsoleteadjective
No longer produced or used; out of date because a newer, more efficient replacement has emerged.

Also from these editions: concepts

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Cite this entry

“Superficiality”. Agency Wiki, Agency Brasil. Published on November 11, 2026. https://www.agencybrasil.com/en/wiki/dictionary/superficiality