serendipity

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪti/ UK /ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the occurrence of fortunate discoveries by happy accident

By pure serendipity she found her dream job through a chance meeting.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the occurrence of fortunate... luck fortuity chance fortune happenstance

Opposites

misfortune design

Word family

Derived forms serendipitousserendipitously

Related forms serendipper

Simplified etymology

Serendipity was coined by Horace Walpole before or at the beginning of 1754 from Serendip, an old name for Sri Lanka. He based it on The Three Princes of Serendip, whose heroes made discoveries through accident and sagacity while seeking other things.

Etymology

Coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole from the Persian fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip', whose heroes constantly made fortunate discoveries by accident. Serendip is an old name for Sri Lanka, from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa ('Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island').

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# serendipity

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪti/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪti/

## Meanings
1. the occurrence of fortunate discoveries by happy accident

## Examples
- By pure serendipity she found her dream job through a chance meeting.

## Synonyms
- luck
- fortuity
- chance
- fortune
- happenstance

## Antonyms
- misfortune
- design

## Derived Forms
- serendipitous
- serendipitously

## Related Forms
- serendipper

## Etymology
Coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole from the Persian fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip', whose heroes constantly made fortunate discoveries by accident. Serendip is an old name for Sri Lanka, from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa ('Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island').

## AI Etymology
Serendipity was coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole from the Persian fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip', whose heroes constantly made fortunate discoveries by accident. Serendip is an old name for Sri Lanka, from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa ('Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island'). The quoted older senses, "The Three Princes of Serendip" and "Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island", supply the semantic anchors for serendipity. In present English it is used as a noun, "the occurrence of fortunate discoveries by happy accident". English derivatives include serendipitous and serendipitously; related English forms include serendipper. The result is a noun whose etymology preserves both the older form and the later English specialization.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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