serendipity

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On January 28, 1754, Horace Walpole coined the term serendipity, which means finding something you're not looking for but which you nonetheless need.

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. noun The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
  2. noun The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
  3. noun An instance of making such a discovery.
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Examples (50)

  • In an interesting serendipity, the antidote comes from a plant which is also found only in that area. —  The Beekeeper’s Apprentice - Laurie R. King - Russell-Holmes 01
  • Or was it simply serendipity, the fact that his beaches had always been and would always be the best place to land with smuggled goods, with caves in the cliffs above to stash the contraband? —  Anthology - My Scandalous Bride
  • This made me think about Google's customized search results - is there a point at which these things get so good that you will lose serendipity, and even more, not be exposed to other points of view, inequality, unpleasantness, other cultures? —  Christina's LIS Rant
  • "[B] ehind the serendipity, the film's dull, graceless storytelling deflates any prospect of a magical night," writes —  GreenCine Daily
  • In his letter to his diplomatist friend Walpole mentioned a special type of luck that he termed serendipity, after the ancient tale, which resulted from the combination of a happy accident with sagacity or perspicacity in understanding. —  LearnHub Activities
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. From the characters in the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, who made such discoveries, from Persian Sarandīp, Sri Lanka, from Arabic sarandīb.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. A humorous formation, with an allusion to dip, from Serendip, a form of Serendib, a former name of Ceylon, + -ity. The island of Serendib figures in Eastern romance. The name is from Arabic Serendīb, Sarandīb, also Sarandīp (Late Latin Serendivi, plural, as the name of the people), Middle Greek Σιελεδίβα, from Sanskrit Simhala-dvīpa, the island of Ceylon, from Simhala, Ceylon (from simha, lion), + dvīpa, island. The Sanskrit Simhala is in Pali Sihalan, whence *Sīlan, Old Tamil Ilam, whence Malay Sailan, European Seilan, Zeilon, Ceylon.
 

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/sɛrɛnˈdɪpɪti/
by American Heritage
by Lee Davis-Thalbourne
by vmohan
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