superstitious

[ soo-per-stish-uhs ]

adjective

1. of the nature of, characterized by, or proceeding from superstition:

   superstitious fears.

2. pertaining to or connected with superstition:

   superstitious legends.

3. believing in, full of, or influenced by superstition.

superstitious

/ ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃəs /

adjective

1. disposed to believe in superstition
2. of or relating to superstition

Derived Forms

• ˌsuperˈstitiously, adverb
• ˌsuperˈstitiousness, noun

Other Words From

• super·stitious·ly adverb
• super·stitious·ness noun
• over·super·stitious adjective
• over·super·stitious·ly adverb
• over·super·stitious·ness noun
• unsu·per·stitious adjective
• unsu·per·stitious·ly adverb
• unsu·per·stitious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of superstitious¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English supersticious, from Latin superstitiōsus, from superstiti(ō) superstition + -ōsus -ous

Example Sentences

For some, Jacques Le Gris became a martyr, a man sentenced to a brutal death by a backwards and superstitious legal system which demonized him.

From Time

There are all of these various sorts of iterations that go into people’s minds, some logical, some sort of more superstitious almost.

From Ozy

We humans are notoriously unreliable, superstitious narrators, always scanning the horizon for signs that validate what our hearts have already told us.

From Time

When we can barely illuminate our own world, it would be superstitious to imagine that dead men could do it for us.

From The Daily Beast

For artists, that moral sensibility, superstitious or no, ought to be cranked to 11.

From The Daily Beast

Their marriage had begun to suffer, and memories of the polio ballet loomed over the choreographer, known to be superstitious.

From The Daily Beast

These days, Greaves regards traditional religion in general as both dangerously superstitious and exclusionary.

From The Daily Beast

Historically, superstitious investors have feared the 10th month of the year.

From The Daily Beast

And yet there still remains a superstitious belief in prayer, and most surprising are some of its manifestations.

From Project Gutenberg

He told how the Korean farmer lived a simple, patient life, while at the same time he was ignorant and superstitious.

From Project Gutenberg

They emanated from a credulous and superstitious people in an unscientific age and country.

From Project Gutenberg

"Look here, old man, this superstitious nonsense is becoming an obsession to you," it said one fine April morning.

From Project Gutenberg

People of limited education, born and brought up in out of the way country places, are apt to be superstitious.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apprehensive