kismet
Americannoun
noun
-
Islam the will of Allah
-
fate or destiny
Usage
What does kismet mean? Kismet means fate or destiny. In Islam, kismet refers to the will of Allah. But it is popularly used to refer to something that one believes was “meant to be”—or the reason why such a thing happened. It can also be spelled kismat, but that’s much less common. Example: We ran into each other on Valentine’s Day, and neither of us had a date, so who was I to deny kismet?
Etymology
Origin of kismet
First recorded in 1840–50; from Turkish, from Persian qismat, from Arabic qisma, qismat- “division, portion, lot, fate,” akin to qasama “(he) divided,” from the (West) Semitic root qsm “to divide, allot”
Explanation
When you encounter something by chance that seems like it was meant to be, then it could be kismet, your destiny. The word kismet comes from the Arabic word ḳismat, meaning “division, portion, lot.” You can think of kismet as your lot in life, or your fate. You’ll often hear the word used in relation to something significant that came about entirely by chance. If you met the love of your life when you spilled coffee on one another as you fell on the icy sidewalk of a street you never walked down before, all you can do is smile and shrug and say, “Kismet.”
Vocabulary lists containing kismet
Friday the 13th
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The Night Circus
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The Life I'm In
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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.
Reynolds added the sentencing guidelines for offences involving a firm the size of Kismet provided a range of fines between £15m and £24m, which he called "wholly unrealistic".
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, health officer for San Mateo County, shared in a statement that she’s “deeply saddened” by the loss and recommends people take preventative measures like vaccines to avoid future deaths.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 2026
In reality, Fire Island includes a number of enclaves — the aforementioned Pines and Cherry Grove, as well as decidedly less-queer areas like Saltaire, Kismet, and Ocean Beach.
From Salon • Aug. 13, 2022
But Kasper said he worked closely with Benteke’s agent, Kismet Eris, and the respective owners negotiated the transfer fee and other considerations.
From Washington Post • Aug. 5, 2022
Much best to shrug the shoulders, say "Kismet," use strong language according to taste, and accept for granted that every man's fate was writ big upon his forehead.
From The Recipe for Diamonds by Hyne, Charles John Cutcliffe Wright
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.
