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Synonyms

serendipity

American  
[ser-uhn-dip-i-tee] / ˌsɛr ənˈdɪp ɪ ti /

noun

plural

serendipities

  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 British  
/ ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • serendipiter noun
  • serendipitist noun
  • serendipitous adjective
  • serendipper noun

Etymology

Origin of serendipity

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Yes, that’s why I like the word serendipity.

From Slate • Mar. 2, 2026

She felt relying heavily on AI to source investment opportunities could kill the serendipity of scouting for deals, which can uncover talented entrepreneurs in unsuspecting ways.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 29, 2025

The couple said that finding the mobile home in 2010 was a stroke of serendipity.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2025

"It's pure serendipity that 2024 became the year these films were released, igniting conversations together."

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2024

The serendipity of finding a book he hadn’t known about was delicious, as was the pleasure of discovering the expected—a book he knew he wanted if only he could find it in Buschke’s labyrinth.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.