Dictionary

resurface en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɹiːˈsɜɹfɪs/ (General-American)
• /ɹiːˈsɜːfɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- Middle French surfacebor. English surface English resurface From re- + surface.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To come once again to the surface.
   • His body finally resurfaced after three years underwater.
2. (intransitive) To surface again; to reappear or re-occur.
   • Anonymity lies at the center of the mythology surrounding the elusive street artist Banksy, but he may have revealed his name in a resurfaced interview. 2023 November 21, Issy Ronald, “Is this Banksy’s real name? Resurfaced interview suggests it could be”, in CNN:
   • Just as amazing, gruesome morgue photos of some of the madman's street-walker victims also resurfaced after being missing for decades. 1992 October 27, “Weekly World News”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), page 37:
   • The Landguard Road overbridge to the south has subsequently been removed, although aspirations to reopen the four-mile route to Ventnor resurface from time to time. 2022 November 16, Paul Stephen, “Stations earn a deserved NRA ovation: Small: Shanklin”, in RAIL, number 970, page 49:
   • Subplots that might have been fun to explore were relegated or eventually sidelined altogether in the case of characters like Gendry, who disappeared for years and finally resurfaces as a blacksmith in King’s Landing, literally waiting for the call to his hero’s journey. 2017 August 13, Brandon Nowalk, “Oldtown offers one last game-changing secret as Game Of Thrones goes behind enemy lines (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club:
   • The people in hiding now resurfaced in large numbers […] 2022 August 1, Katja Happe, Barbara Lambauer, Clemens Maier-Wolthausen, Western and Northern Europe June 1942–1945, Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, →ISBN, page 465:
3. (rare, transitive) To make something reappear.
   • Tourian's poem exhibits a central strand of the Catholic tradition which has been suppressed in Armenian religious life but needs to be resurfaced. 1991 Fall, Vigen Guroian, “Armenian genocide and Christian existence.”, in Cross Currents, volume 41, number 3, page 3322:
   • Hajjar said the initial idea was to resurface retro holiday sweaters, typically featuring reindeer and Christmas trees. 2015 December 2, Parija Kavilanz, “These ugly Christmas sweaters are worth millions”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 25 Feb 2024:
   • Before coronavirus shuttered the world, a typical month for Connecticut native Zac Mathias was packed with appointments for microneedling (a collagen-stimulating process that involves repeated pin-pricks all over the face), regular resurfacing hydrafacials, rejuvenating laser treatments and the occasional red-light therapy session. 2021 May 6, Leah Dolan, “Teens are worried about wrinkles. Here’s how Gen Z is helping to fuel a beauty boom”, in CNN:
4. (transitive) To provide a new surface, to replace or remodel the surface of something, or to restore a surface. To put a new coating or finish on a surface.
   • A zamboni is a big machine that resurfaces ice at a rink so it is smooth as glass for the skaters.
   • Both platforms are being resurfaced, and work will take place to improve stepping distances between the platforms and trains. 2019 November 6, “NR £4m upgrade plan for Keighley”, in Rail, page 10:

Forms

Deriveds

resurfacer · unresurfaced

Translations (6)

fi päälystää uudelleen (to surface once again) · bg изплувам (to come once again to the surface) · pl wypłynąć (to come once again to the surface) · fi nousta pintaan (to come once again to the surface) · fr remonter à la surface (to come once again to the surface) · fi pinnoittaa uudelleen (to surface once again)