[f. SUPERFICIAL + -ITY. Cf. F. superficialité, It. -alità, etc.]
1. The quality of pertaining to, or being situated in or near, the surface.
1530. Palsgr., 278/2. Superficialyte, superficialite.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., VI. x. 322. By which Salts the colours of bodies are sensibly qualified, and receive degrees of lustre or obscurity, superficiality or profundity.
1869. Spencer, Princ. Psychol. (1870), I. 166. The relative superficiality or centrality of these nerves.
† 2. Superficial area or content. Obs. rare.
1690. Leybourn, Curs. Math., 327. The Dodecaedron is larger than all the other together … in … Superficiality.
1811. Self Instructor, 150. It is necessary to know how to find the superficiality [of solid bodies].
3. Lack of depth, thoroughness or solidity: shallowness of learning, character, etc. Also, an instance of this.
1661. H. D., Disc. Liturgies, 34. The charge of serving God in Prayer with rudeness, unpreparedness, barrenness, superficiality.
1677. Gilpin, Dæmonol. (1867), 4. A formal superficiality of religion.
1736. Bolingbroke, Patriot. (1749), 58. And hence all that superficiality in speaking, for want of information.
1821. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. Mrs. Battle’s Opinions on Whist. She despised superficiality, and looked deeper than the colours of things.
1840. Carlyle, Heroes, vi. (1858), 359. The strong daring man … has set all manner of Formulas and logical superficialities against him.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, xxiv. Talkers whose noisy superficiality cost them nothing.
1893. Liddon, etc., Pusey, I. xi. 254. The superficiality so common a hundred years ago in religion as in other matters.
