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Where does the word "surface" come from? It comes from Latin superficies, passing through French before entering English (1610s).
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Where does the word "surface" come from? It comes from Latin superficies, passing through French before entering English (1610s).
Surface’s story begins in Latin: superficies meant “upper face.” 'super', above, plus 'facies', face. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as surface. Formed from 'sur' plus 'face'. It reached English by 1610s as surface. 'surface' as a verb dates from the 1800s. Today, surface means the outside part of something.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient superficies "upper face", 'super', above, plus 'facies', face.
- Stage 2 · French · 1500s surface "surface", formed from 'sur' plus 'face'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1610s surface "outside", 'surface' as a verb dates from the 1800s.