superstition

A superstition is a belief in something that is not based on fact or evidence or science. Human beings create superstitions in order to explain to themselves the mysteries of the natural world. Superstitions also explain why a person is lucky or unlucky, fortunate or unfortunate:

• The number thirteen is an unlucky number. This is an example of a superstition.
• February 2 is Groundhog Day. This day is founded on a popular superstition involving an animal, a groundhog, that indicates whether or not we will have an early spring or a late winter.
• It’s bad luck to walk underneath a ladder propped up against a building. This is a superstition.
• People who believe in superstitions might also follow horoscopes or believe in the predictions of fortune tellers. (A fortune teller predicts the future.)
• It’s hard to convince people who have a belief in superstition that superstitions are silly.
• Silly superstitions make people do silly things. (silly = ridiculous; nonsensical; stupid)

This is what a groundhog looks like.

The word "superstitious" is an adjective. This common word is used to describe people and their beliefs.

• Harold is very superstitious.
• He’s a superstitious person.
• He has many superstitious beliefs.
• Valerie is not superstitious at all.
• She doesn’t have any superstitious beliefs.
• She thinks that people who are superstitious are also not very well educated.
• Superstitious beliefs can be quite dangerous because they lead people to do stupid things.
• Superstitious behavior comes from ignorance and fear.
• There are many examples of superstitious beliefs in human history that have resulted in human and animal sacrifices.
• Baseball players are very superstitious.
• Are you a superstitious person?

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February 2, 2019