Serendipity

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Serendipity

[noun] An unplanned fortunate discovery

/ˌser.ənˈdɪp.ɪ.ti/

Example

She found her favourite book in a tiny shop by pure serendipity.

Synonyms

Chance, fluke, happy accident, blessing in disguise

Etymology

Coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole, inspired by the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, whose heroes were always making accidental discoveries.

Mini Dialogue

Alice: I just bumped into my old friend at the market!
Ben: What serendipity — I was just thinking about her yesterday.

Quick Check

Which situation best demonstrates serendipity?

You carefully planned a trip and everything went as expected.

You accidentally discovered a beautiful café while lost in town.

You studied hard and passed your exam.

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