[su.per.sti.tion] n [ME supersticion, fr. MF, fr. L superstition-, superstitio, fr. superstit-, superstes standing over (as witness or survivor), fr. super- + stare to stand--more at stand] (13c) 1 a: a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation b: an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition
2: a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary