serendipity
pronunciation
How to pronounce serendipity in British English:
UK [ˌserənˈdɪpəti]
How to pronounce serendipity in American English:
US [ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪti]
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- Noun:
- good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
Word Origin
- serendipity
- serendipity: [18] Serendipity – the ‘faculty of making lucky discoveries’ – was coined in 1754 by the British writer Horace Walpole (1717–97). He took it from The Three Princes of Serendip, the title of a fairy tale whose leading characters, in Walpole’s words, ‘were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of’. (Serendip is an old name for Sri Lanka.)
- serendipity (n.)
- 1754 (but rare before 20c.), coined by Horace Walpole (1717-92) in a letter to Horace Mann (dated Jan. 28); he said he formed it from the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of." The name is from Serendip, an old name for Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), from Arabic Sarandib, from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa "Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island."
Example
- 1. We have had more than our fair share of mac serendipity though .
- 2. The other big serendipity block seems to be " the plan " .
- 3. So often it is pure serendipity there is no grand plan , no career map .
- 4. It restores serendipity to the flow of information .
- 5. Serendipity smiles upon people who have a more relaxed approach to life .