surface area

[ sur-fis air-ee-uh ]

noun

1. the total space occupied by all surfaces or faces of an object.

Word History and Origins

Origin of surface area¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

To get the mass, the team measured the total surface area of the plastic particles and incorporated a standard measure of thickness and density based on the most common microplastic waste types: polyethylene and polypropylene.

From Science Daily

Step on a lemon, and while its height will dramatically decrease, its size will increase in the other directions, turning it into a disk-shaped object that still has a considerable surface area.

From Science Daily

Its porous design increases its surface area, which means more places to hold onto CO2 molecules.

From Los Angeles Times

The Sonoran Desert bridges Northern Mexico and the southern United States and covers approximately 100,000 square miles, a surface area larger than the United Kingdom.

From Salon

Athletes can still harness the power generated from the unique entry while having a larger, safer surface area for their hands.

From Los Angeles Times