Superstitious
/ˌsuː.pəˈstɪʃ.əs/noun
Having or showing a belief in supernatural causation or irrational fears about luck, omens, and rituals.
Did you know?In Latin, superstitio could mean excessive religious awe or anxious reverence, so the word’s oldest vibe was less “cute bad luck” and more “shaking before the divine.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sta-
“to stand, make or be firm”
Latin
Latin
superstare
“to stand over, survive, remain”
Classical Latin
Latin
superstitio
“excessive fear of the gods; religious awe, later irrational religious belief”
Late Latin
Latin
superstitiosus
“full of superstition; over-scrupulous in religious matters”
Old French
Old French
superstitieux
“superstitious”
Middle English
English
supersticious
“superstitious”