serendipitous
Americanadjective
-
come upon or found by accident; fortuitous.
serendipitous scientific discoveries.
-
serendipitous weather for our vacation.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of serendipitous
First recorded in 1940–45; serendipit(y) + -ous
Explanation
Serendipitous is an adjective that describes accidentally being in the right place at the right time, like bumping into a good friend in some unusual location, or finding a hundred dollar bill on the ground. The root of serendipitous comes from the fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," in which three princes make one lucky and surprising discovery after another. A serendipitous moment happens by accident, usually when you’re doing something completely unrelated, like digging a hole in your yard to bury your hamster and finding a treasure chest of jewels. That’s a sad but serendipitous funeral.
Vocabulary lists containing serendipitous
This Week in Words: July 14 - 20, 2018
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Hidden Figures
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Right on Time
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Sure enough, strange serendipitous moments started happening for Small.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Come to think of it, thoughts are perhaps not unlike a murmuration of starlings, flitting and swooping and morphing with seemingly serendipitous activation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
Daniel Holz -- a University of Chicago astrophysicist focused on black holes, who was not involved in the study -- told AFP the "serendipitous" nature of the latest example makes it particularly exciting.
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
"My journey in comedy since then has been such a series of blessings and serendipitous moments."
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026
It was serendipitous when writer Thomas Keneally walked into the luggage store that the Pages owned in Beverly Hills and became fascinated by the story Mr. Page told him.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
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.
