serendipity

[ ser-uhn-dip-i-tee ]
See synonyms for serendipity on Thesaurus.com
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.

  1. good fortune; luck: What serendipity—she got the first job she applied for!

Origin of serendipity

1
Serendip + -ity; coined in 1754 by English novelist Horace Walpole for an ability possessed by the heroes of a fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, using a former name for Sri Lanka

Other words from serendipity

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

Words Nearby serendipity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use serendipity in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for serendipity

serendipity

/ (ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪtɪ) /


noun
  1. the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident

Origin of serendipity

1
C18: coined by Horace Walpole, from the Persian fairytale The Three Princes of Serendip, in which the heroes possess this gift

Derived forms of serendipity

  • serendipitous, adjective

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