superstitio

Forms

superstitiō f (genitive superstitiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed with the suffix -tiō from superstes (“standing over; surviving”), or from superstō (“to stand over”) directly.^[2][1][3] How it came to mean “superstition” is unclear.^[4] The OLD suggests a first sense such as “state of religious exaltation”, comparing superstitiōsus (“prophetic; superstitious”);^[2] Lewis and Short start from “standing still over a thing”, hence amazement and dread;^[3] Etymonline reports Buck's view of standing stunned in awe and de Vaan's “cause to remain in existence”.^[4] De Vaan traces ⟨stō⟩ to Proto-Italic *sta-ē-je/o- (“to stand”) and Proto-Indo-European *sth₂-eh₁-ie/o- (“to stand”).^[5]

Isidore of Seville explained it as worship that is superfluous or added on, or from old people who outlive their wits.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero speaks of gods appeased by right prayers, not by a polluted superstition, in the Pro Cluentio;^[2] Köbler gives Virgil.^[7]

Semantic evolution

It is irrational religious awe or credulity, and a particular superstitious belief or practice;^[2][3] Cicero says that our ancestors separated superstition from religion, and that superstition holds an empty fear of the gods, while religion is their devout worship.^[2][3] It is used, more or less scornfully, of foreign or unorthodox cults, as Cicero's “barbarous superstition” for Judaism, Tacitus' Druids, and Suetonius' Christians, “a new and harmful superstition”; later writers use it without blame.^[2][3] In Virgil it is the one object of awe for the gods, the Styx, and Quintilian uses it for blind obedience to rules.^[2][3] Lactantius sets it against religiō: worship of the true God against worship of false gods.^[3]

Church Latin glosses it “superstition, fear, fanaticism”.^[8] In medieval Latin it can also mean excess or luxury, superfluity, and an unjust extra tax.^[9] English superstition is from it, in the early 13th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero of superstition set against religion.^[2][7]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil of the Styx as the gods' object of awe.^[2][7]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian of blind adherence to rules.^[2][7]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius of the Christians.^[2][7]
• c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville explains it as superfluous worship.^[6][7]
• early 13th century – Borrowed into English as superstition.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. Irrational religious awe, credulity; a superstition, superstitious practice.^[2][3][1][8]
2. A foreign or unorthodox cult;^[2][3] (later) a religious rite, religious awe.^[2][3]
3. An object of dread.^[3]
4. Blind adherence to rules, excessive scruple.^[2][3]
5. (Medieval Latin) Excess, superfluity; an unlawful surtax.^[9]

Word family

• superstitiōsus

Related words

• superstes
• religiō
• stō
• English superstition

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
7. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill