serendipity
noun
uncountable
Definitions
Etymology
Usage
Quotes
noun
1
The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
"A fortunate stroke of serendipity brought them together after years of searching."
noun
2
The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
"Scientific breakthroughs often rely more on serendipity than on rigid planning."
π Origin & History
First recorded in 1754 by Horace Walpole, who coined the term after the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip. "Serendip" is an old name for Sri Lanka. The princes were constantly making discoveries by accident of things they were not searching for.
1754
β
1800s
β
Modern Usage