superstition

American  

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

noun

superstitions plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• superstitions
  plural

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

See Examples For:

superstition superstitions

Misinformation and in some cases superstition are playing a role, and health workers’ attention is turning to how to combat false news.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

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

We’ll all find out together if, with the original stock market superstition, life actually imitates art.

From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 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

In his era, racing was a business made rigid by tradition and imitation, superstition and wives’ tales.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

They added that they would organise programmes in rural areas to raise awareness against superstitions.

From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026

Even after Mr. Newman has done his best to demystify the creative life, he may not convince everyone to reject their rituals and superstitions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026

In a note replying to The Times after we asked fans about the superstitions they observed to help the Dodgers win, Chavarin said that his pet was a key player for the Boys in Blue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025

Communities are slowly beginning to understand that people with albinism are not cursed and that superstitions can have deadly consequences.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2025

He thought about Grandmother’s silly gold statues of Chinese immortals, her superstitions about putting furniture in certain places and avoiding unlucky numbers.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan