n. An ignorant or irrational fear of that which is unknown or mysterious; especially, such fear of some invisible existence or existences; specifically, religious belief or practice, or both, founded on irrational fear or credulity; excessive or unreasonable religious scruples produced by credulous fears.n. A religious belief or a system of religion regarded as based on ignorance and fear; especially, the worship of false gods, as induced by fear; pagan religious doctrines and practices.n. Hence, any false or unreasonable belief tenaciously held: as, popular superstitions.n. Excessive nicety; scrupulous exactness.n. Idolatrous devotion.n. = Syn. 1–3. Superstition, Credulity, Fanaticism, Bigotry. Credulity is a general readiness to believe what one is told, without sufficient evidence. Superstition may be the result of credulity in regard to religious beliefs or duties or as to the supernatural. As compared with fanaticism it is a state of fears on the one side and rigorous observances on the other, both proceeding from an oppression of the mind by its beliefs, while fanaticism is too highly wrought in its excitement for fear or for attention to details of conduct. Fanaticism is a half-crazy substitution of fancies for reason, primarily in the field of religion, but secondarily in politics, etc. Fanaticism is demonstrative, being often ready to undertake, in obedience to its supposed duty or call by special revelation, tasks that are commonly considered wicked or treated as criminal. Bigotry is less a matter of action: subjectively it is a blind refusal to entertain the idea of correctness or excellence in religious opinions or practices other than one's own; objectively it is an attitude matching such a state of mind. Credulity is opposed to skepticism, superstition to irreverence, fanaticism to indifference, bigotry to latitudinarianism. See enthusiastic.