superstition

American  

[soo-per-stish-uhn] / ˌsu pərˈstɪʃ ən /

noun

1. a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the like.

2. a system or collection of such beliefs.

3. a custom or act based on such a belief.

4. irrational fear of what is unknown or mysterious, especially in connection with religion.

5. any blindly accepted belief or notion.

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superstition British  

/ ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃən /

noun

1. irrational belief usually founded on ignorance or fear and characterized by obsessive reverence for omens, charms, etc

2. a notion, act or ritual that derives from such belief

3. any irrational belief, esp with regard to the unknown

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Etymology

Origin of superstition

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin superstitiōn-, stem of superstitiō, from superstit-, stem of superstes “standing beyond, outliving” (from super- super- + -stes, combining form of stāre “to stand”) + -iō -ion

Explanation

A superstition is a belief or practice that isn’t entirely based on facts or reality, like carrying a rabbit’s foot because you think it brings you good fortune, or believing that Friday the 13th is a day of bad luck. When you pick up a penny, is it because you’re poor or do you think it’s lucky? If the quickest route makes you walk under a ladder, will you do it even though it’s bad luck? These are two examples of superstitions, irrational decisions we make for some weird reason. The Latin roots of the word translate as “standing over,” like how you freeze standing over a broken mirror. Don’t worry, it’s only a superstition, right?

Example Sentences

Some of the most common offences were related to religion, superstition and foreign cultural content - including the consumption of K-dramas and K-pop.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Donatello, the embodiment of an Old World defined more by superstition than piety and by tradition than goodness, lacks the character to withstand Miriam’s inner darkness.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Someone joked about bad luck, but thankfully, this superstition did not come true, and a few months later, Lower won the lead actress in a drama series Emmy for her role in “Severance.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

Demonstrations forced Ne Win's resignation, but Myanmar's military chain of command continued to Min Aung Hlaing, also rumoured to be motivated by superstition.

From Barron's • Dec. 21, 2025

In school the science teacher had explained what superstition was, and then held the science textbook up for the class to see the true source of explanations.

From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko