sŭperstĭtĭo (noun F) : super-sto; orig a standing still over or by a thing; hence, amazement, wonder, dread, esp. of the divine or supernatural.
* Excessive fear of the goas, unreasonable religious belief, superstition (different from religio, a proper, reasonable awe of the gods; cf.: religio veri dei cultus est, superstitio falsi,Lact. 4, 28, 11): horum sententiae omnium non modo superstitionem tollunt, in quā inest timor inanis deorum, sed etiam religionem, quae deorum cultu pio continetur,Cic. N. D. 1, 42, 117: majores nostri superstitionem a religione separaverunt,id. ib. 2, 28, 71; cf.: contaminata superstitio,id. Clu. 68, 194: nec vero superstitione tollendā religio tollitur,id. Div. 2, 72, 148: superstitio error insanus est,Sen. Ep. 123, 16: superstitiones aniles,Cic. N. D. 2, 28, 70: sagarum superstitio,id. Div. 2, 63, 129: tristis,Hor. S. 2, 3, 79: vana,Sil. 5, 125: magicas superstitiones objectabat,Tac. A. 12, 59: exitialis,id. ib. 15, 44: quam multi, qui contemnant (somnia) eamque superstitionem imbecilli animi atque anilis putent!Cic. Div. 2, 60, 125: barbara superstitio,id. Fl. 28, 67; id. Div. 1, 4, 7: quā (superstitione) qui est imbutus,id. Fin. 1, 18, 60; Quint. 3, 1, 22: victi superstitione animi,Liv. 7, 2, 3: captus quādam superstitione animus,id. 26, 19, 4: magna superstitio natalis amicae,Ov. A. A. 1, 417: quod novas superstitiones introduceret,Quint. 4, 4, 5: superstitio est timor superfluus et delirus,Serv. Verg. A. 8, 187: superstitionem mihi excute,Sen. Ep. 121, 4.
* Transf., in gen.: superstitio praeceptorum,an excessive regard, scrupulous observance,Quint. 4, 2, 85.—*
* In post-Aug. prose sometimes for religio, religious awe, sanctity; a religious rite: hujus (virtutis) quādam superstitione teneantur, hanc ament,Sen. Ep. 95, 35: templi,Just. 39, 3, 9: superstitiones atque cura deorum,id. 41, 3, 6.