superstition
/ˌs(j)u.pɚˈstɪ.ʃən/noun
superstition is spelled S-U-P-E-R-S-T-I-T-I-O-N: 12 letters and 4 syllables. It appears 1.6 times per million words in written English, the 22,073rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a derogatory noun, superstition means “A belief considered to be irrational, unfounded, or based solely on fear and ignorance, particularly credulous reverence towards and belief in…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of superstition is superstitions.
How many letters and syllables are in superstition?
| Letters | 12: S-U-P-E-R-S-T-I-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.6 times per million words; the 22,073rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is superstition?
Superstition appears 1.6 times per million words in written English, the 22,073rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce superstition?
- UK /ˌs(j)uː.pə(ɹ)ˈstɪ.ʃən/
- UK /ˌs(j)u.pə(ɹ)ˈstɪ.ʃn̩/
- US /ˌs(j)u.pɚˈstɪ.ʃən/
Superstition has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-superstition.ogg, En-uk-superstition.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with superstition?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as superstition from its last stressed vowel (/ɪʃən/):
- position
- competition
- opposition
- permission
- composition
- acquisition
- coalition
- physician
- politician
- admission
- nutrition
- expedition
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of superstition
- superstitions plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does superstition mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
derogatoryA belief considered to be irrational, unfounded, or based solely on fear and ignorance, particularly credulous reverence towards and belief in supernatural forces.
- 2
archaicExcessive nicety; overscrupulousness.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Superstition in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense a belief considered irrational, unfounded, or guided by fear and ignorance:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | superstition |
| German | Aberglaube |
| Portuguese | superstição |
| Spanish | superstición |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does superstition come from?
From Middle French superstition, from Latin superstitio (“superstition”), from superstāre (“to stand above, to stand upon, to survive”) + -tiō (“-tion: forming nouns”), from super- (“above, over, upon”) + stāre (“to stand”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).