Serendipity
Meaning
The fortunate discovery of something interesting or valuable by accident.
Origin
The enchanting word "serendipity" was first coined in 1754 by the brilliant English writer and statesman Horace Walpole. He was inspired by a Persian fairy tale he had read, titled "The Three Princes of Serendip," (Serendip being an old Persian name for Sri Lanka). In the tale, the princes were always making discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of. Walpole, delighted by this concept of fortunate, accidental discovery, crafted the term to describe such an occurrence, forever enriching the English language with a word that perfectly captures the joy of an unexpected find.
Examples
- Finding that forgotten twenty-dollar bill in an old coat pocket was a moment of pure serendipity.
- Their meeting at the coffee shop, a random detour from their usual routes, was an unexpected serendipity that led to a lifelong friendship.