What does superstitious mean?
Word: Superstitious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Superstitious means believing in luck, magic or signs that cannot be explained by reason, such as thinking a black cat brings bad luck.
Antonyms: sceptical
How do you spell superstitious?
Syllables: su - per - sti - tious
Tricky part: The ending is tious, not cious, because it comes from superstition. Supersticious and superstitous are common errors.
Watch out for: supersticious, superstitous, superstituous
Memory tip: Superstition ends in tion, so the adjective keeps that t: tious, not cious.
Superstitious in a sentence
Example 1: Some cricketers are superstitious and wear the same socks in every match.
Example 2: My uncle is superstitious and never cuts his nails after dark.
Example 3: Aarav is not superstitious; he walks under ladders without a second thought.
Fun Fact
Many buildings skip a 13th floor because so many people are superstitious about the number thirteen; the fear even has its own name, triskaidekaphobia.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to complete the word:
sup_rst_tious
a) e, e
b) e, u
c) e, i
d) a, i
Show answer
c) e, i. Super gives the first e, and the i follows st in the middle: su-per-sti-tious.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word superstitious as it is used in the sentence:
The superstitious sailors refused to set out from the harbour on a Friday.
a) rational
b) nervous
c) fearful
d) credulous
Show answer
a) rational. Superstition sets reason aside, while a rational person goes by reason and facts.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The goalkeeper is so ospiisuterust that he touches both posts before every match.
a) superstitious
b) supercilious
c) suspicious
d) surreptitious
Show answer
a) superstitious. Count three s's, two t's and two i's in the jumble; only superstitious matches all of them.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. ridiculus 2. delicious 3. ambitious 4. superstitious
a) having a strong wish to succeed
b) so silly that people may laugh at it
c) believing in luck and signs rather than reason
d) having a very pleasant taste
Show answer
b) so silly that people may laugh at it. Ridicule gives ridiculous, ending in ous, and ridiculus has lost the o.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which belief is superstitious?
a) Regular exercise keeps you fit.
b) Plants need sunlight to grow well.
c) A broken mirror brings bad luck.
d) Ice melts when it is heated.
Show answer
c) A broken mirror brings bad luck.
2. Faced with a superstitious belief, a scientist would ask for ____.
a) a date that is lucky
b) a poster to put up
c) evidence from careful tests
d) a story from a grandparent
Show answer
c) evidence from careful tests
