As some of you know, in addition to working in the Admissions Office, I also teach Latin at Saint Ignatius and am something of a "word nerd." Thus, each week, I’ll sneak a vocabulary word (sometimes derived from Latin, sometimes not) into the e-blast. Here, then, is this week’s edition of the Etymology Word of the Week.
Superstitious - "characterized by a belief, not based on reason, in the ominous significance of a particular circumstance.” From the Latin noun superstitio meaning “prophecy, soothsaying, dread of the supernatural” - literally “a standing over,” from the Latin adverb super meaning “over, above” and the Latin verb sto, stare, steti, statum meaning “to stand.” (All information is from www.wikipedia.org, www.etymonline.com and/or www.dictionary.com).
RELATED WORDS/PHRASES – superimpose, supercilious, destitute, circumstance, etc.
SYNONYMS - irrational, gullible, unfounded
SAMPLE SENTENCE - “Some superstitious folks will not even leave their houses on Friday the 13th.”
FINISH THE PHRASE - I fear the Greeks, even… (scroll for answer)
Answer: ...those bearing gifts.
(from The Aeneid, in reference to the “Trojan Horse”)