By the way, here's the OED Entry:
Oxford English Dictionary wrote:
Oxford English Dictionary | The definitive record of the English language
superstition, n.
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃn/ , /ˌsjuːpəˈstɪʃn/ , U.S. /ˌsupərˈstɪʃən/
Forms: eME supersticiun, ME supersticione, ME superstycyoun, ME–16 supersticioun, ME–16 supersticion, 15 supersticyon, 15 superstycyon, 15– superstition; also Sc. pre-17 superstitione, pre-17 superstitioun, pre-17 superstitioune, pre-17 supperticioun, pre-17 supperstitioun, pre-17 suppestitioun.
Etymology: < (i) Middle French supersticion, superstition, superticyon (French superstition ) unorthodox or unfounded (especially non-Christian or heretical) religious belief (a1359), magical or occult practice (a1366), over-attachment to something (1549),
and its etymon (ii) classical Latin superstitiōn-, superstitiō attitude of irrational religious awe or credulity, particular superstitious belief or practice, foreign or non-orthodox religious practice or doctrine, in post-classical Latin also luxury, profusion (8th cent.), superfluity (9th cent.) < superstit- , superstes standing over (see superstite adj.) + -iō -ion suffix1.
Compare Spanish superstición (late 14th cent.), Portuguese superstição (c1560), Italian superstizione (mid 14th cent.).
The semantic motivation for the word is unclear. The classical Latin author Cicero suggested ( Natura Deorum 2. 28. 72) that superstitious people (superstitiōsī ) were so called because they practised excessive religious devotion in order that their children might survive (superstites essent ), but this is probably a folk etymology. A view held in late antiquity is that the use of the words superstitiō ‘superstition’ and superstitiōsus ‘superstitious’ with reference to religion derives from the idea that such practices were superfluous or redundant. Compare Isidore Origines 8. 3. 6 Superstitio dicta eo quod sit superflua aut superinstituta observatio ‘Superstition is so called because it is the name for redundant and superseded (religious) observation’. Classical Latin superstes was used with reference to a soldier standing over the prostrate body of a defeated enemy, and it has also been suggested that from this use, classical Latin superstitiō had the sense ‘superiority’, and hence developed the senses ‘prophecy’ and ‘sorcery’.
Sense 1 is apparently not attested in Anglo-Norman and Old French, and quot. c1230 is taken from a passage in Ancrene Riwle which has no equivalent in either the slightly earlier Cleopatra manuscript or in the Anglo-Norman version.
†I. Senses relating to excess (cf. superstitious adj. II.).
1. An action characterized by superfluity or excess. Cf. superstitious adj. 4. Obs. rare.
c1230 (▸?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 102 Þe ealleofte hwelp is ifed wið supersticiuns, wið semblanz, & wið sines.
2. Excessive scrupulousness. Cf. superstitious adj. 5. Obs. rare—0.
1755 Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang., Superstition,..over-nicety; exactness too scrupulous.
II. Senses relating to belief.
3. Religious belief or practice considered to be irrational, unfounded, or based on fear or ignorance; excessively credulous belief in and reverence for the supernatural.
▸c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Coloss. ii. 23 Preceptis and techingis of men..ben sotheli hauynge resoun of wysdom in supersticioun [L. superstitione] or veyn religioun.
?a1425 (▸a1415) Wyclif Lanterne of Liȝt 88 (MED), It is of perfeccioun not to swere in ony manere; It is of infirmite to swere constreyned, but it is of supersticioun to swere veynli.
?1526 G. Hervet tr. Erasmus De Immensa Dei Misericordia sig. M.vi.v, Superstitiousnes or supersticion [is] vayne deuocion.
a1538 T. Starkey Dial. Pole & Lupset (1989) 126 Theyr [sc. monks'] solytary lyfe wych hath brought forth wyth lytyl profyt to the publyke state, much superstycyon.
1548 H. Latimer Notable Serm. sig. Ciiiv, Where the Deuyll is residente..vp wyth all supersticion and Idolatrie, sensing,..holie water, and new seruice of mennes inuentyng.
1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. iii. 8 Superstition is, when things are either abhord or obserued, with a zealous or fearefull, but erroneous relation to God.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xxvii. 155 A man may stand in fear of Spirits..through his own superstition.
1653 Bp. J. Taylor Serm. for Year i. ix. 116 It is superstition to worship any thing..besides the Creator.
1701 J. Collier tr. M. Aurelius Medit. (1726) 69 The People, being generally given to Superstition, and over-credulous, swallow'd this Prophecy.
1776 A. Smith Inq. Wealth of Nations II. v. i. 385 Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.
1777 W. Robertson Hist. Amer. iv, in Wks. (1851) V. 372 Wherever superstition is so established as to form a regular system, this desire of penetrating into the secrets of futurity is connected with it.
1808 Z. M. Pike Acct. Exped. Sources Mississippi (1810) iii. App. 24 The people's superstition is so great that they are running after the holy father in the streets, and endeavoring to kiss the hem of his garment.
1854 H. H. Milman Hist. Lat. Christianity II. iv. vii. 167 A copious list of miracles wrought by certain images..showing the wretched superstition into which the worship of images had degenerated.
1891 F. W. Farrar Darkness & Dawn II. li. 174 Nero had fits of superstition.
1950 W. H. Auden Enchafèd Flood (1951) ii. 51 The actual horrors of persecution, witch-hunting, and provincial superstition from which they were trying to deliver mankind.
2004 Time Out N.Y. 12 Aug. 160/2 What bothers us mostly is the flight from reason and science, and the reversion to primitive beliefs or irrational superstition.
4. A religious system considered to be irrational, unfounded, or based on fear or ignorance; a false, pagan, or idolatrous religion.
c1425 Prose Versions New Test.: Deeds (Cambr.) xxv. 19 (MED), Summe questions of his [sc. Paul's] supersticione [L. superstitione] þei hade agayne hym, and specially of one Iesu, þat es deed, whom Poule affermed forto life.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Acts xxv. 19 They..hadde certayne questions agaynst him off their awne supersticion.
1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 5 The Turks receiued the Mahometane superstition.
1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage ii. vi. 110 The present Iewish superstition.
1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 564 [Mohammed] making him [sc. Ali] the head of his superstition, with the title of Caliph.
1671 Milton Samson Agonistes 15 Unwillingly this rest Thir Superstition yields me.
1771 T. Smollett Humphry Clinker II. 144 A conference with his friend Voltaire, about giving the last blow to the Christian superstition.
1813 J. C. Prichard Res. Physical Hist. Man viii. §1. 402 These authors regard the latter [sc. Buddhism] as the ancient and indigenous superstition of the East.
1840 A. Alison Princ. Population I. vii. 367 The superstition of the country encourages the disposition to early marriage. Sterility is esteemed a severe misfortune, or rather a curse of the offended Deity.
1870 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. V. xxviii. 30 Between Mary, the defender of a dying superstition, and the Lords of the Council, the patrons of liberty and right, the difference so far was as between the honest watch-dog and a crew of prowling wolves.
1905 Humanitarian Rev. Dec. 453 The Christian superstition of today is nothing more nor less than a resuscitation of these old pagan myths.
1942 J. K. Ryan in R. J. Deferrari Ess. Catholic Educ. in U.S. iv. 366 In an atheistic society and under an absolute state these rights are the object of unrelenting attack. This is the modern superstition, the pseudo-religion, that philosophy and religion must refute and destroy.
2009 C. S. Wilson Sex & Devil's Wager Pref. 7 The Greeks like the Hindus may have flirted with the abomination of hell but it was perfected into an expression of pure evil and divine sadism by Christianity and Islam. Both these world superstitions made it a disproportionate punishment for a wrong choice.
5.
a. A religious belief, ceremony, or practice considered to be irrational, unfounded, or based on fear or ignorance.
Chiefly in the context of Protestant criticism of Catholic practices held not to be founded in Scripture (now chiefly hist.). Also more generally or merged in senses 5b, 5c.
a1450 (▸?1419–20) Friar Daw's Reply (Digby) l. 197 in P. L. Heyworth Jack Upland (1968) 79 Foure angels singnefien foure general synnes, Sett vp bi Sir Adam, Iakke, among ȝour maistris: Cediciouns, supersticions, þe glotouns, & þe proude.
?a1475 (▸?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl.) (1869) II. 283 (MED), Diuerse supersticiones began of ydolatry.
1547 Certain Serm. or Homilies Good Works iii, in J. Griffiths Two Bks. Homilies (1859) i. 61 Other kinds of papistical superstitions..as of Beads, of Lady Psalters and Rosaries.
a1555 H. Latimer Serm. & Remains (1845) 229 It is but a superstition to think that a Pater Noster cannot be well said without an Ave Maria at its heel.
1640 Bp. J. Hall Episcopacie i. ii. 9 All the superstitions and fœdities of the Romish Religion.
1660 Bp. J. Taylor Ductor Dubitantium I. ii. iii. Rule 13 §23. 465 When they began to say, that..all wine was an abomination, they pass'd into a direct superstition.
1703 Irish Act 2 Anne c. 6 §26 The Superstitions of Popery are greatly increased and upheld by the pretended Sanctity..of a place called St. Patrick's Purgatory in the County of Donegall.
1736 Bp. J. Butler Analogy of Relig. i. iv. 75 By Religion's being corrupted into Superstitions, which indulge Men in their Vices.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. x. 621 The notion would still prevail that the kingly office is the ordinance of God in a sense different from that in which all government is his ordinance. It was plain that, till this superstition was extinct, the constitution could never be secure.
1897 E. Lucas Shall Liberty Die? iii. 76 They refused to have their consciences and their souls bound by the fetters of Popish superstitions and falsehoods.
1987 M. S. Peck Different Drum ix. 191 Who needs this fuddy-duddy old Church with its silly superstitions?
2011 M. Porter Sydney Anglicans & Threat World Anglicanism ii. 25 Doing away with the Mass and other ‘Popish’ superstitions.
b. A religious ceremony or observance considered to be of a pagan or idolatrous character.
1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell sig. E3v, The Phitones..by her supersticiouns Of wonderfull condiciouns..raysed vp..Samuell that was dede.
1604 E. Grimeston tr. J. de Acosta Nat. & Morall Hist. Indies iv. xxx. 293 They did assemble there for theyr dances and superstitions.
1608 T. Heywood Rape of Lucrece sig. C4v, Our superstitions ended, sacred Priest, Since we haue had free answer from the Gods.
1772 T. Pennant Tours Scotl. (1774) 42 The superstition of the Bel-tein was kept up.
1849 D. Rock Church our Fathers I. iii. 294 The heathen Britons made use of balls of crystal in their idle superstitions.
1911 Theol. Q. Oct. 213 Though Christ says, ‘Use not vain repetitions as the heathen do,’ the Romanists have introduced this heathen superstition of ‘telling their beads’.
1919 W. J. Locke Far-away Stories 124 Why the whole land should be turned into a bear garden on account of this exploded superstition of Christmas is one of the anomalies of modern civilization.
2000 A. Camps Stud. in Asian Mission Hist., 1956–1998 xvi. 209 The Franciscan and Dominican missionaries worked usually with peasants and most of them considered the rites to be pagan superstitions.
c. A widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck, or a practice based on such a belief.
1609 Shakespeare Pericles xi. 50 The sea workes hie, The Wind is lowd, and will not lie till the Ship Be cleard of the dead. Per. That's your superstition.
1713 T. Tickell in Guardian 15 Apr. 2/1 Our own rustical Superstition of Hob-thrushes, Fairies, goblins and Witches.
1777 J. Brand Observ. Pop. Antiq. 99 There is a similar Superstition among the Vulgar in Northumberland: They call it seeing the Waff of the Person whose Death it foretells.
1810 R. Southey Hist. Brazil I. viii. 250 This was..from a persuasion that change of abode was essential to health; and a superstition, that if they departed from the custom of their forefathers they should be destroyed.
1824 W. S. Landor Imaginary Conversat. I. xii. 157 Nick gave unto him a shilling, having first spatten thereon, as he, according to his superstition, said, for luck.
1899 A. Newsholme Elem. Vital Stat. (rev. ed.) vii. 60 The month of May, owing to a widespread superstition that it is an unlucky month for marriages, is lowest on the list.
1930 W. M. Mann Wild Animals 207 Rhino horns were in great demand, due to the ancient superstition that a drinking cup made from one of them would reveal the presence of poison.
1967 R. J. A. White Short Hist. Eng. x. 180 All things considered, it was not remarkable that the English had a superstition about the number seven.
2000 A. Ghosh Glass Palace (2001) vi. 67 It was a ritual with Saya John, a kind of superstition, always to start these journeys in European clothes.
†6.
a. Religious observance. Obs. rare.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid xii. xiii. 63, I sweir tharto be the onplesand well Of Stix,..Quhais only dreidfull superstitioun [L. superstitio] heyr The Goddis kepis, that nane dar it forsweyre.
b. Extravagant quasi-religious devotion to a non-religious object. Obs. rare.
1637 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Elder Brother iii. v. sig. F3, The old man shall not love his heapes of gold With a more doting superstition, Than Ile love you.
a1640 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Lovers Progres iii. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Kkk4v/2, May I not kisse ye now in superstition? For you appeare a thing that I would kneele to.
7. Irrational, unfounded, or erroneous belief other than that based on religion or the supernatural; an unreasonable, groundless, or mistaken notion.
1771 tr. J. G. Zimmermann Ess. National Pride 154 They [sc. nations] remain perpetually shackled in that political superstition [Ger. Aberglauben], which sticks so close to what stands founded only on antiquity.
1794 J. Hutton Diss. Philos. Light 107, I am afraid there are many men of science..that only believe the theory of heat and cold in prejudice or superstition, i.e. without having seen its evidence.
1851 H. Spencer Social Statics xix. 209 Of the political superstitions,..none is so universally diffused as the notion that majorities are omnipotent.
1868 M. Pattison Suggestions Acad. Organisation v. 120 The superstition of the law-courts that a man can exercise rights of property after his death to all time.
1913 E. Key Rahel Varnhagen ii. 77 How Rahel with her lucidity of thought would have exposed the modern superstition that it is in outward departments of work that woman gives expression to her human ‘individuality’, while a mother only acts as a sexual creature!
1948 Daily Tel. 29 May 2/6 [He] blew sky-high the complacent superstition of a war-time ‘renaissance’.
2008 F. S. Guthery Primer Nat. Resource Sci. v. 48 If we are not careful, we will tend to perceive time-near events as cause and effect. If they are not, we might end up with scientific superstition (the erroneous belief that two events are causally related).