Superstitions that still make us knock on wood

Ten common superstitions and their surprising origins

We're rational adults living in the 21st century. We have smartphones, streaming services, and GPS navigation. Yet somehow, when a black cat crosses our path, we still feel that little twinge of "uh oh." Let's explore ten classic superstitions that continue to haunt (and amuse) us today.

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Drop a mirror and watch it shatter? Congratulations, you've just signed yourself up for seven years of misfortune—or so the superstition claims. This belief dates back to ancient times when mirrors were rare, expensive, and thought to reflect your soul. Breaking one meant damaging your very essence, which would take seven years to "regenerate." That's quite the warranty period for your spiritual well-being.

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See a ladder propped against a building? Better walk around it unless you want bad luck following you home. This superstition actually has some practical roots—walking under a ladder is genuinely dangerous since paint cans, tools, or clumsy workers could fall on your head. But the mystical explanation is even more interesting: a ladder against a wall forms a triangle, which represents the Holy Trinity, and walking through it was considered a sign of disrespect to the divine.

Image: Kristin O Karlsen

In medieval Europe, these sleek felines were associated with witches and dark magic, making them the least popular pet choice for the superstitious. Cross paths with one, and you were supposedly inviting misfortune into your life. Never mind that black cats are just regular cats with darker fur—superstition doesn’t care about logic.

Ironically, in some cultures, black cats are considered good luck, which must be very confusing for the cats themselves. Are they harbingers of doom or furry little fortune cookies? It all depends on which side of the ocean you're standing on.

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Popping open an umbrella inside the house is a big no-no in the superstition handbook. The origins of this belief are a bit murky, but one theory suggests it offended the sun god to use a shade-providing device indoors, where the sun doesn't shine anyway. Another explanation is more practical: early umbrellas had stiff springs and metal spokes that could genuinely hurt someone or knock over valuables when opened in tight spaces.

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Say something good about yourself—"I haven't been sick all year"—and watch yourself immediately reach for the nearest wooden surface. The ritual supposedly prevents your boastful words from jinxing you and attracting bad luck's attention. Its origins trace back to ancient tree-worshipping cultures that believed spirits lived in wood and could offer protection if properly acknowledged.

The best part about this superstition is how flexible it is. Can't find real wood? Knock on your head (insert your own joke here). Some people tap twice, others three times—there's no official protocol, which is refreshing in the otherwise rigid world of superstitions.

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This superstition combines two separate fears: Friday was considered unlucky because it was the day of Jesus’s crucifixion, and the number 13 has been deemed unlucky for various reasons, including being one more than the "perfect" dozen. Put them together, and you’ve got a day so notorious it inspired an entire horror movie franchise.

The funny thing is, there’s no statistical evidence that more bad things happen on Friday the 13th than on any other day. Yet hotels often skip the 13th floor (jumping from 12 to 14), and some airlines avoid having a 13th row.

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Knock over the salt shaker at dinner, and tradition demands that you immediately toss a pinch over your left shoulder. Why? Because the devil was supposedly lurking behind your left shoulder, waiting to cause mischief, and throwing salt in his eyes would temporarily blind him. Salt was once incredibly valuable—Roman soldiers were even paid in salt, giving us the word "salary"—so spilling it was genuinely wasteful and considered an invitation for bad luck.

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"Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long you'll have good luck"—but only if it's heads up. If it's tails up, some versions say you should flip it over for the next person or leave it alone entirely. This is one of the more optimistic superstitions, suggesting the universe occasionally scatters small fortunes in our path. Given that a penny is worth one cent, the universe isn't exactly being generous, but it's the thought that counts.

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When someone sneezes, we automatically say "bless you" or "gesundheit" without really thinking about why. The tradition supposedly started because people believed your soul could escape through your nose during a sneeze, or that the sneeze temporarily stopped your heart, leaving you vulnerable to evil spirits. By blessing the person who sneezed, you were offering spiritual protection during this brief moment of weakness. It's surprisingly dramatic for such a common bodily function.

Image: Toni Reed

Ever notice how someone playing poker, bowling, or trying any new activity for the first time often experiences unexplainable success? That's beginner's luck, the superstition that newcomers are temporarily blessed with good fortune, perhaps because fate wants to encourage them to keep trying. It's a convenient explanation for why your friend, who's never bowled before, just rolled a strike while you, the experienced bowler, keep hitting the gutter.

Of course, there are practical explanations: beginners aren't overthinking their moves, aren't burdened by bad habits, and aren't feeling pressure to perform. But where's the fun in that? It's much more entertaining to blame supernatural forces for our defeats.

Lost in time

Ever felt "crapulous"? Check out 10 beautiful words we no longer use

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Life is always evolving, and because language is a reflection of life, it changes too, sometimes in ways we hardly notice. English is full of beautiful terms that we use every day, but it also holds many other gorgeous words that, unfortunately, we have stopped using over time. Cultural, social, and technological changes shape our vocabulary, causing many words -despite their charm- to fall into disuse. If you want to remember 10 beautiful English words that we don't use much anymore -but definitely should- this article is for you!

Image: Rob Curran

Let's start with a word that might test some people's patience. Well, not the word itself, but what it means.

"Murmuration" is a beautiful word in our language that refers to a soft, continuous sound, like the muttering of a crowd: ever-present but with no distinct voice standing out. A bit unsettling, isn't it? But despite its meaning, this word has a lovely, almost poetic sound. Just give it a try and say it out loud!

This noun comes from the Latin verb murmurare ("to murmur"). In English, the term has been used since the 14th century, and while it has fallen into disuse in recent decades, it can still be found in literary or formal contexts.

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If you want to sound elegant and sophisticated, this is the perfect word for your next conversation. However, be aware that most people might not be familiar with it, as it hasn't been a part of everyday language for a long time.

"Obambulate" means to walk around or wander without a specific direction or destination. For instance, you might say, "My grandfather enjoyed obambulating through the city streets during the evening hours." Quite fancy, right?

This verb in English comes from the Latin obambulare, which has the same meaning. The Latin word combines the prefix ob- ("around") with ambulare ("to walk").

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"Crapulous" comes from the Latin crapula, which means "intoxication," and crapulentus, which means "drunk." The word in English has a similar meaning. A very clear example would be: "After the big party last night, the man woke up on the couch feeling crapulous and vowed never to drink again."

The word entered the English language in the 17th and 18th centuries to describe someone suffering from the effects of excessive drinking or eating. Although its use began to decline in the 19th century, this word remains a refined alternative for describing a hangover day. After a fabulous night, a crapulous day probably awaits.

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If a friend is asking you for advice about a situation or decision, it's wise to suggest they take some time to "recogitate" their conclusions before making a move. But what does this verb actually mean?

"Recogitate" means to think again or reconsider something very carefully. It comes from the Latin recogitare, formed from the prefix re- (again) and cogitare (to think). Its most frequent use in English was seen in formal written contexts beginning in the 18th century, but as early as the 19th century, its use began to decline, and the word was replaced by others, such as "reconsider."

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This word is related to one of the other terms we have already mentioned in this list. If "obambulate" is the verb that describes the action of wandering without an apparent destination, "solivagant" is the adjective that represents the person who does it.

"Solivagant" thus describes a solitary wanderer. This beautiful word that carries an air of mystery and introspection comes from the Latin solus ("alone") and vagari ("to wander").

A passage in a book might read, for example, "The author rejoiced in his days as a solivagant, wandering the quiet streets of that remote neighborhood." While this word has largely fallen out of everyday use, it's a good reminder of our language's beauty.

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While this word continues to appear in formal and informal contexts, its usage has been declining in recent years.

We are talking about the term "ostentatious," an adjective used to describe someone or something that exhibits extravagance with the intention of impressing. Though often used with a touch of criticism, we can't deny the elegance of this word's form.

The term comes from the Latin ostentare, which means "to show off" or "to display." It entered English around the 17th century and was long used in our language, although recently, it has been replaced by other terms such as "showy."

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This is one of our favorites! The word "cacography" has an interesting meaning and also a great sound.

This beautiful word entered the English language in the 16th century and was used to describe bad handwriting or misspellings. It doesn't come from Latin but from the combination of the Greek words kakos, meaning "bad," and graphein, meaning "to write." As you probably suspected, it can be thought of as the opposite of "calligraphy," which is beautiful or artistic writing.

If you want to use it in a sentence, you might say, "When I was a kid, the teachers often criticized my cacography in school."

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This is one of those words that sounds beautiful but has a not-so-beautiful meaning.

Here, we have another adjective, "contumelious," used to describe someone who is insolent, rude, disdainful, or arrogant. "Contumelious" (we just can't stop pronouncing it) comes from the Latin word contumelia, meaning "insult" or "abuse." The term entered Middle English around the 14th century, and its usage began to decline in the 19th century.

If you want to sound refined, you can say something like, "I won't tolerate their contumelious attitude, as it is a clear sign of disrespect."

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Those who struggle to meet their responsibilities, don't respond as well, or have difficulty accepting and following rules might be described with this word.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "peccable" is an adjective used to describe "someone liable or prone to sin: susceptible to temptation or error." This word in English is derived from the Latin word peccare ("to sin" or "to commit a fault") and the Latin adjective peccabilis ("liable to sin").

Due to the general beliefs of the time, this word was more commonly used during the 17th and 18th centuries, but its usage began to decline in the 19th century.

Image: Jonah Pettrich

No, this word doesn't refer to the big vehicle that carries passengers. It's something a bit different.

Although it's a bit simpler and less melodious than the other words on this list, "buss" still has its own charm. Want to know what it means? "Buss" can be both a noun meaning "a kiss" and a verb meaning "to kiss." Have you ever heard this word or used it in your conversations or letters?

It comes from the Old French word baiser, which also means "to kiss." The Old French term itself comes from the Latin basiāre, which had the same meaning, too.