English
superstitious
Superstitious comes from Latin superstitio ‘superstition’, and goes back to superstō ‘to stand over or upon’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperstō‘to stand over or upon’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperstitio‘superstition’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperstitiōsus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400superstitieux
- Englishearliest quotation 1722superstitious
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperstō‘to stand over or upon’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperstitio‘superstition’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperstitiōsus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400superstitieux
- Englishearliest quotation 1722superstitious
Earliest quotation: 1722, William Wollaston: “Ignorant and ſuperſtitious wretches meaſure the actions of letterd…”
Every English word from Latin superstō
Today it means
adj Susceptible to superstitions.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin superstō / superstitious