Stage actors are a particularly superstitious lot -- they don't say "Macbeth" in a theater, they don't whistle backstage, and they never wish each other "good luck" before a performance. This last tradition is a form of reverse psychology. They don't want to tempt fate by talking about positive outcomes in advance. So instead, they tell each other to "break a leg."

While the idea behind the phrase is quite old, possibly dating from medieval belief in malevolent spirits, "break a leg" itself is fairlyrecent. It was whispered in theater circles starting in the 1920s, and first appeared in print around 1954 or 1957.

The exact origin of "break a leg" isn't clear. Several etymology resources note the phrase's similarity to a German saying hals und beinbruch, meaning "neck and leg break." It's used to mean good luck. One theory is that German-speaking or Yiddish-speaking Jews brought the saying with them to America early in the 20th century. Many of these immigrants worked in theater, so the translated phrase spread.

Now you know why breaking a leg is a good thing...on stage, that is.

"Break a leg" is a well-known saying in theatre which means "good luck". It is typically said to actors and musicians before they go out onto stage to perform.

The expression reflects a theatrical superstition in which wishing a person "good luck" is considered bad luck. The expression is sometimes used outside the theatre as superstitions and customs travel through other professions and then into common use.