Word + Quiz: superficial

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superficial \ ˌsü-pər-ˈfi-shəl \ adjective

1. of, affecting, or being on or near the surface

2. concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually

3. of little substance or significance

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The word superficial has appeared in 178 articles on nytimes.com in the past year, including on Jan. 5 in “Why Everyone Is Wearing Black at the Golden Globes” by Vanessa Friedman:

Remember, back in 2015, the #AskHerMore campaign, in which red carpet hosts were urged to treat the actresses they interviewed as women of substance, and that was defined as focusing not on what they wore, but on what they did? The premise being that what they wore was a mere decorative trifle — superficial, frivolous, not thought through — hence not really worthy of discussion, and to talk about it was to demean the purpose of the woman inside.

I’ve been hearing it again, a lot, with the recent vocalization of women in Hollywood, the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements, and the call to wear black at the Golden Globe Awards.

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