serendipity

ser·en·dip·i·ty  (srn-dp-t)

n. pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties

1. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.

2. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.

3. An instance of making such a discovery.

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[From the characters in the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, who made such discoveries, from Persian Sarandp, Sri Lanka, from Arabic sarandb.]

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seren·dipi·tous adj.

seren·dipi·tous·ly adv.

Word History: We are indebted to the English author Horace Walpole for the word serendipity, which he coined in one of the 3,000 or more letters on which his literary reputation primarily rests. In a letter of January 28, 1754, Walpole says that "this discovery, indeed, is almost of that kind which I call Serendipity, a very expressive word." Walpole formed the word on an old name for Sri Lanka, Serendip. He explained that this name was part of the title of "a silly fairy tale, called The Three Princes of Serendip: as their highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of...."

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serendipity [ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪtɪ]

n

the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident

[coined by Horace Walpole, from the Persian fairytale The Three Princes of Serendip, in which the heroes possess this gift]

serendipitous  adj

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serendipity

a talent for making fortunate discoveries while searching for other things. — serendipitous, adj.

See also: Chance

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

serendipity - good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries fluke, good fortune, good luck - a stroke of luck

Translations

serendipity [ˌserənˈdɪpɪtɪ] N → serendipia f

serendipity [ˌsɛrɛnˈdɪpəti] n → heureux hasard m
Some of the best effects in my garden have been the result of serendipity → Certains des meilleurs effets dans mon jardin ont été le fruit d'un heureux hasard.

serendipity

n → Spürsinn m (fig), → mehr Glück als Verstand

serendipity [ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪtɪ] n (frm) → serendipità