superstitious

/ˌs(j)uː.pəˈstɪ.ʃəs/

//ˌs(j)uː.pəˈstɪ.ʃəs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"superstitious" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“superstitious” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #24,332. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#24,332
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords
19
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Susceptible to superstitions.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

superstitious vs superstition
85% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for superstitious
PropertyValue
Headwordsuperstitious
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌs(j)uː.pəˈstɪ.ʃəs/
Letters13
Frequency rank#24,332
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “superstitious” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). superstitious lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around superstitious (IPA /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈstɪ.ʃəs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #24,332 among 54,294 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for superstitious, with forms such as "spuerstitious", "ssuperstitious", and "sueprstitious". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "superstition", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French superstitieux, from Latin superstitiōsus, from superstitio + -ōsus. The correct English form is superstitious, spelled S-U-P-E-R-S-T-I-T-I-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Susceptible to superstitions.
  2. 2
    Arising from or having the character of superstitions.
  3. 3
    Overexact; unnecessarily scrupulous.

Etymology

From Old French superstitieux, from Latin superstitiōsus, from superstitio + -ōsus.

Synonyms

freety

This word in other languages

supersticioso(Español)superstitieux(Français)abergläubisch(Deutsch)supersticioso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • spuerstitious
  • ssuperstitious
  • sueprstitious
  • superrstitious
  • supersittious
  • supersstitious
  • superstiitous
  • superstitiosu
  • superstitiouss
  • superstitiuos
  • superstitoius
  • superstittious
  • supersttiious
  • supersttitious
  • supertsitious
  • supesrtitious
  • supperstitious
  • suprestitious
  • usperstitious

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of superstitious - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

spuerstitious2ssuperstitious1sueprstitious2superrstitious1supersittious2supersstitious1superstiitous2superstitiosu2
Edit distance from "superstitious"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "superstitious"?
"superstitious" is spelled S-U-P-E-R-S-T-I-T-I-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈstɪ.ʃəs/.
What does "superstitious" mean?
As an adjective, "superstitious" means: Susceptible to superstitions.
What words are commonly confused with "superstitious"?
"superstitious" is commonly confused with "superstition". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "superstitious"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "superstitious" is /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈstɪ.ʃəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "superstitious"?
From Old French superstitieux, from Latin superstitiōsus, from superstitio + -ōsus. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “superstitious”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-U-P-E-R-S-T-I-T-I-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌs(j)uː.pəˈstɪ.ʃəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “superstition” - see the side-by-side comparison. superstitious vs superstition
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list