Superstition
/ˌsuː.pərˈstɪʃ.ən/noun
A belief or practice based on fear of the supernatural or on irrational assumptions about cause and effect.
Did you know?In Latin, superstitio could mean an excessive religious awe or a suspicious, improper reverence for the gods, so the word began as a critique of ritual fear before becoming “irrational belief.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stā-
“to stand”
Latin
Latin
super- + stāre
“to stand over, remain standing above”
Classical Latin
Latin
superstitio
“excessive awe of the gods; religious scruple, or later, irrational religious belief”
Old French
Old French
supersticion
“superstition, irrational religious belief”
Middle English
English
supersticioun
“superstition; over-scrupulous religious awe”
Modern English
English
superstition
“a belief or practice not based on reason or scientific knowledge”
Explore more surprising origins