Etymologically
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superstitiosus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [sʊ.pɛr.stɪ.tiˈoː.sʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [su.per.stit.t͡siˈɔː.s̬us][1]

Forms

superstitiōsus (feminine superstitiōsa, neuter superstitiōsum, comparative superstitiōsior); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin superstitiō (“superstition”) + -ōsus.[2][1] De Vaan lists it, from Plautus on, beside superstes (“standing by, surviving”) among the derivatives of stō (“to stand”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Plautus and Ennius,[3][2] meaning prophetic or ecstatic: in the Curculio a character says of another that he must be a seer, since he tells the truth (superstitiōsus hicquidem est, vēra praedicat), and Ennius speaks of superstitiōsī vātēs, inspired prophets.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Pacuvius applies it to a prophetess, whom the OLD identifies as Cassandra.[2] From Cicero on it means full of unreasoning religious awe, superstitious, and Cicero sets it against religiōsus: one is the name of a vice, the other a word of praise.[2][4] Livy, Mela, Petronius and Apuleius use it in the same sense,[2] and Quintilian transfers it to a blind, over-scrupulous adherence to rules of style.[2][5]

The Vulgate has the comparative in the Acts of the Apostles, where Conte takes it to mean “very religious”,[4][5] and Tertullian the superlative.[4][6] In medieval Latin it was used of pagans and pagan practices,[7] and also meant presumptuous,[8] foolish or excessive.[7] English took superstitious from Anglo-French and directly from Latin in the late 14th century.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for “prophetic”.[2][10]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius speaks of superstitiōsī vātēs.[2][10]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for “superstitious” and contrasts it with religiōsus.[2][4][10]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of over-strict adherence to rules.[2][10]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate has the comparative superstitiōsiōrēs.[4][10]
  • 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it of pagan worship.[7][10]
  • late 14th century – English borrows it as superstitious.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (early Latin) In a state of religious exaltation, ecstatic, prophetic; of utterances, prophetic.[2][4][6]
  2. Full of unreasoning religious awe or credulity, superstitious.[2][4]
  3. Over-scrupulous, blindly bound to rules.[2][5]
  4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Very religious, devout.[5]
  5. (Medieval Latin) Pagan; as a neuter plural noun, superstitious practices.[7]
  6. (Medieval Latin) Presumptuous; foolish, excessive.[8][7]

Usage notes

The adverb is superstitiōsē, “superstitiously”, and in Quintilian “too scrupulously”.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b c d e Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de