superstitiosus Latin · revision 36787

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la stō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [sʊ.pɛr.stɪ.tiˈoː.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [su.per.stit.t͡siˈɔː.s̬us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''superstitiōsus''' (feminine superstitiōsa, neuter superstitiōsum, comparative superstitiōsior); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|superstitiō|-ōsus|t1=superstition]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan lists it, from Plautus on, beside [[m|la|superstes|t=standing by, surviving]] among the derivatives of [[m|la|stō|t=to stand]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in Plautus and Ennius,^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) 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.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Pacuvius applies it to a prophetess, whom the OLD identifies as Cassandra.^(OLD 2012) 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.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Livy, Mela, Petronius and Apuleius use it in the same sense,^(OLD 2012) and Quintilian transfers it to a blind, over-scrupulous adherence to rules of style.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ The Vulgate has the comparative in the Acts of the Apostles, where Conte takes it to mean “very religious”,^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) and Tertullian the superlative.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) In medieval Latin it was used of pagans and pagan practices,^(DMLBS) and also meant presumptuous,^(Niermeyer 1976) foolish or excessive.^(DMLBS) English took ''superstitious'' from Anglo-French and directly from Latin in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for “prophetic”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius speaks of ''superstitiōsī vātēs''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for “superstitious” and contrasts it with ''religiōsus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of over-strict adherence to rules.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate has the comparative ''superstitiōsiōrēs''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it of pagan worship.^(DMLBS)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English borrows it as [[m|en|superstitious]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(early Latin)'' In a state of religious exaltation, [[m|en|ecstatic]], [[m|en|prophetic]]; of utterances, prophetic.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ # Full of unreasoning religious awe or credulity, [[m|en|superstitious]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Over-scrupulous, blindly bound to rules.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Very religious, devout.^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|pagan|alt=Pagan]]; as a neuter plural noun, superstitious practices.^(DMLBS)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|presumptuous|alt=Presumptuous]]; foolish, excessive.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[superstes]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The adverb is ''superstitiōsē'', “superstitiously”, and in Quintilian “too scrupulously”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}