: a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation
b
: an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition
2
: a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary
Example Sentences
It is a common superstition that a black cat crossing your path is bad luck. tales of superstition, witchcraft, and magic
Recent Examples on the WebChastain had previously had a superstition about holding an Oscar, and once refused to touch Redmayne's award. Jake Coyle, ajc, 13 Sep. 2022 Kobe Bryant’s jersey numbers, are to his fans, or 4, Beyoncé’s favorite number, is to the Beyhive: a source of superstition and devotion. Maddie Ellis, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 The rejection of aerosol transmission as a superstition carried a strong emotional charge that is still felt today. Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 26 Aug. 2022 Twenty people from Salem and neighboring towns were killed and hundreds of others accused during a frenzy of Puritan injustice that began in 1692, stoked by superstition, fear of disease and strangers, scapegoating and petty jealousies. Stephanie Pagones, Fox News, 1 Aug. 2022 Science and skill will always prevail over luck and superstition — never did get that big grayling out of Ugashik. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 26 June 2022 Humanity is divided into hundreds of antagonistic cults afflicted by superstition, preventable disease, and violent self-sabotage. Dennard Dayle, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2022 Twenty people from Salem and neighboring towns were killed and hundreds of others accused during a frenzy of Puritan injustice that began in 1692, stoked by superstition, fear of disease and strangers, scapegoating and petty jealousies. Stephanie Pagones, Fox News, 1 Aug. 2022 Cora relocates to a small Essex village plagued by a local superstition about a mythical serpent. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 16 Mar. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English supersticion, from Anglo-French, from Latin superstition-, superstitio, from superstit-, superstes standing over (as witness or survivor), from super- + stare to stand — more at stand