The Origin of "Bless You": Why We Say It After a Sneeze

It is actually "gesundheit", a German word meaning "good health" or "health" in English. It is a popular tradition in many countries to say this or a similar phrase (e.g. "salute") when someone sneezes. The tradition originated from early beliefs that a person loses their soul or breath when they sneeze, and it was said to protect them from evil spirits.