superstitious
Americanadjective
-
of the nature of, characterized by, or proceeding from superstition.
superstitious fears.
-
pertaining to or connected with superstition.
superstitious legends.
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believing in, full of, or influenced by superstition.
adjective
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disposed to believe in superstition
-
of or relating to superstition
Other Word Forms
- oversuperstitious adjective
- oversuperstitiously adverb
- oversuperstitiousness noun
- superstitiously adverb
- superstitiousness noun
- unsuperstitious adjective
- unsuperstitiously adverb
- unsuperstitiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of superstitious
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English supersticious, from Latin superstitiōsus, from superstiti(ō) superstition + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
Superstitious describes a belief in chance or magic. If you're superstitious, you may avoid walking under ladders, spilling salt, or passing black cats — all because you think they will bring you bad luck. Plenty of people don't think of themselves as superstitious, yet they may do things like knock on wood or refuse to open an umbrella indoors. Or they believe their team will win if they wear their lucky socks. These actions are all superstitious, demonstrating a belief based on magic or luck rather than on reason. The Latin word that superstitious comes from is superstitionem, excessive fear of the gods.
Vocabulary lists containing superstitious
The First Rule of Punk
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With the Fire on High
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The View from Saturday
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said he told him about superstitious routines he would do like talking to the car or always getting in on the left hand side.
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026
The pressure is so great that some superstitious students avoid washing their hair or trimming their nails as the single exam day every November approaches—fearful knowledge might slip away.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026
With unreliable mobile service, no wi-fi and a deeply superstitious population that does not respect him, Loftis is determined to bring in tourists and secure a better life for his teenage son.
From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026
Several weeks have passed since then, and the superstitious interpreter still wears his lucky boxers on days Yamamoto pitches.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025
A superstitious part of Nailer wondered if the Scavenge God was balancing the scales of his Lucky Strike with a sickness that would kill him before he got to reap the rewards.
From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
