Why This Word Matters
Some words feel like gifts. "Serendipity" is one, it names a phenomenon that everyone has experienced but few can articulate: the accident of finding something good while looking for something else entirely.
What It Means
Serendipity is the occurrence of finding valuable or pleasant things by chance. It's not just luck, there's an implication that the person was open to noticing the unexpected. Penicillin was discovered by serendipity. So were X-rays, Post-it Notes, and the microwave oven.
Where It Comes From
This word has one of the best origin stories in English. It was coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole, an English writer, in a letter to a friend. He based it on a Persian fairy tale called The Three Princes of Serendip, whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of."
Serendip was an old name for Sri Lanka. The word took over a century to enter common usage, but once it did, it became one of the most beloved words in the English language, frequently cited in surveys of people's favorite words.
How to Use It
- "Finding that bookshop was pure serendipity, I'd only ducked in to escape the rain."
- "The best travel experiences are often serendipitous, not planned."
- "There's no formula for serendipity, but staying curious helps."
Words to Know Alongside
Fortuitous means happening by chance but is neutral, it doesn't carry the positive implication. Providential implies a sense of divine timing. Happenstance is the most casual option, it emphasizes the coincidence without the delight.