Home/USA Today Rootonym/Relating to a surface; external; concerned only with the obvious: shallow (adjective)
Relating to a surface; external; concerned only with the obvious: shallow (adjective)
Looking for the answer to the USA Today Rootonym clue “Relating to a surface; external; concerned only with the obvious: shallow (adjective)”? The solution is SUPERFICIAL, a 11-letter word built on the root SUPER (“above, over' (prefix)”). It appeared in the July 12, 2026 (Sunday) USA Today Rootonym. See the full puzzle for that day's other words.
Answer
SUPERFICIAL
SUPER******SUPERmeans “above, over' (prefix)”
In a sentence
Patty is relieved a SUPERFICIAL mark on the antique table is only a faint scratch.
About this clue
The Rootonym clue “Relating to a surface; external; concerned only with the obvious: shallow (adjective)” has the answer SUPERFICIAL (11 letters), built on the root SUPER, which means “above, over' (prefix)”. Browse the full July 12, 2026 Rootonym puzzle for the other three words, or see all Rootonym answers.