Why do we say “break a leg”?
Nobody knows for sure. Theater superstition says wishing someone “good luck” invites the opposite, and the phrase caught on in the 1920s and 1930s, but its exact origin is unknown.
Quick Answer
“Break a leg” is what performers say instead of “good luck,” which theater superstition says invites the opposite. Where the phrase itself came from is unknown, and Merriam-Webster says there’s unlikely to be firm agreement. It began to be used as a theatrical expression of luck in the 1920s and 1930s. One possible source is the German saying “Hals- und Beinbruch,” meaning “may you break your neck and your leg,” which was recorded in a hunting context at the very start of the 20th century and in a theatrical one about a decade later. Other theories include vaudeville, where it may have started before moving to legitimate theater; Elizabethan audiences stomping their feet; and John Wilkes Booth breaking his leg after he assassinated Lincoln in 1865. None has been confirmed, and we don’t even know why the leg is singled out instead of another limb.
By the Numbers
Key Facts
- Meaning
- A theatrical way of saying “good luck” without saying it
- Origin
- Unknown, according to Merriam-Webster
- When it caught on
- As a theater phrase in the 1920s and 1930s
- Leading theories
- A German saying, vaudeville, stomping audiences and a stage superstition
Four theories, none confirmed
| Theory | The idea | Status |
|---|---|---|
| German saying | “Hals- und Beinbruch” (“may you break your neck and leg”) was said by hunters and later by performers. | Recorded in both settings in the early 1900s, but the link isn’t proven |
| Vaudeville | The phrase began among vaudeville performers and moved on to legitimate theater. | Possible, but unconfirmed |
| Stomping audiences | Elizabethan audiences stomped their feet or banged chairs, so a great show might “break a leg.” | Unconfirmed |
| John Wilkes Booth | Booth broke his leg leaping onto the stage at Ford’s Theatre in 1865. | Unconfirmed |
Source: Merriam-Webster, which says there is unlikely to be firm agreement on where the phrase came from.
Why not just say “good luck”?
Theater superstition says that wishing a performer “good luck” invites bad luck, so people say something else. “Break a leg” turns the wish around: by wishing bad luck, the thinking goes, you get the opposite.
A German connection
One idea is that the phrase came from the German “Hals- und Beinbruch,” which Merriam-Webster notes appears in a hunting context at the very beginning of the 20th century and in a theatrical one about a decade later. If it’s related, the phrase may have reached English-speaking theater in the 1920s or 1930s.
Other stories
Other popular explanations point to vaudeville, to Elizabethan audiences stamping their feet, and to John Wilkes Booth. Merriam-Webster lists them as theories. Colloquial language rarely leaves a paper trail, so the real origin may never be known.
Myth vs. Fact
Myth“Break a leg” is known to come from John Wilkes Booth.
FactThat’s one theory among several, and none has been confirmed. The true origin is unknown.
MythIt literally wishes you harm.
FactIt’s a reverse wish. Superstition says saying “good luck” invites bad luck, so performers say the opposite.
The Bottom Line
We say “break a leg” because theater superstition discourages saying “good luck,” but where the phrase itself came from is unknown. Several theories exist, and none is confirmed.