serendipity

[ ser-uhn-dip-i-tee ]

noun

, plural ser·en·dip·i·ties.

1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2. accidental discovery, or an instance of this:

   Alton’s premiere novel was a serendipity that affected my thinking in the most positive way.

3. good fortune; luck:

   What serendipity—she got the first job she applied for!

serendipity

/ ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪtɪ /

noun

1. the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident

Derived Forms

• ˌserenˈdipitous, adjective

Other Words From

• ser·en·dip·it·er ser·en·dip·i·tist ser·en·dip·per noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of serendipity¹

Serendip + -ity; coined in 1754 by English novelist Horace Walpole ( def ) for an ability possessed by the heroes of a fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, using a former name for Sri Lanka

Word History and Origins

Origin of serendipity¹

C18: coined by Horace Walpole, from the Persian fairytale The Three Princes of Serendip, in which the heroes possess this gift

Example Sentences

They're machines for creativity, collaboration, and serendipity.

From Axios

To preserve the serendipity of finding a random booth in the convention hall, exhibitors can announce, using notifications, that they are hanging out live at their virtual booths.

From Digiday

That a Yank would come along decades later to buy the house felt like serendipity to the family.

From Fortune

Studying millions of objects at a time or executing preplanned programs may be efficient, but science also thrives on serendipity, on astronomers stealing a few moments for an oddball observation or a creative idea.

From Quanta Magazine

“It’s definitely an interesting story about serendipity,” says Jared Leadbetter, an environmental microbiologist at Caltech.

From Science News

Then came one of those weird bits of serendipity that make the writing life—and the book tour—worth all the trouble.

From The Daily Beast

I was thinking of new ways to engage with my audience and with a bit of serendipity and inspiration the cake was born.

From The Daily Beast

I often think about the fall lines of life, the invisible tightropes that divide moments of calamity and serendipity.

From The Daily Beast

More often than not, turncoat spies are successfully recruited as one-offs, through serendipity and dumb luck.

From The Daily Beast

It strips music buying of serendipity and context, making Justin Bieber as important as the Beatles.

From The Daily Beast

It was just six o'clock, and the public-house opposite the Serendipity shop was lighting up.

From Project Gutenberg

Serendipity, sėr-en-dip′i-ti, n. a love for rare old books and other articles of virtu.

From Project Gutenberg

That polite trifler is fond of a word which he coined himself—'Serendipity.'

From Project Gutenberg

It is more than this: it is a matter of observation to any one with a moderate degree of "Serendipity."

From Project Gutenberg

They think of serendipity as earned, of work as bestowed, of success as deserved and reserved to the deserving.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fluke
• happenstance