Use serendipity when chance leads to a good discovery, meeting, idea, or opportunity. It is warmer and more specific than luck, because it usually involves finding something good unexpectedly.
Use serendipity when chance leads to a good discovery, meeting, idea, or opportunity. It is warmer and more specific than luck, because it usually involves finding something good unexpectedly.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| It was a serendipity that we met there. | It was serendipity that we met there. |
| Several serendipities shaped the project. | Several moments of serendipity shaped the project. |
| I found the book with serendipity. | I found the book by serendipity. |
Use serendipity in science, design, business, and creative work when an unplanned observation becomes useful. It does not mean passive luck only, because recognition and action are often part of the idea.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The broken glass was serendipity. | The accidental discovery was serendipity. |
| The team planned the serendipity carefully. | The team created conditions for serendipity. |
| Serendipity discovered penicillin. | Penicillin was discovered through serendipity. |
Serendipity is best for fortunate discoveries, chance meetings, and unexpected insights. It is more literary and precise than ordinary luck, and it often suggests that someone noticed the value of the accident.
A serendipity sounds unnatural in most contexts, because serendipity is usually uncountable. Luck is broader and can be good or bad, while serendipity is normally pleasant or useful.
Coined by Horace Walpole in 1754 after The Three Princes of Serendip, a tale whose heroes made discoveries by accident and sagacity. Serendip is an old Persian and Arabic name for Sri Lanka, related to forms such as Sarandib. The word combines that name with the noun-forming ending -ity.
What does serendipity mean?
It means finding something valuable, pleasant, or useful by chance.
Is serendipity the same as luck?
No. Luck is broader and can be good or bad. Serendipity is usually good luck that leads to an unexpected discovery.
Can you say a serendipity?
Usually no. Serendipity is normally uncountable, so phrases like "a moment of serendipity" or "an act of serendipity" sound more natural.
What is an example of serendipity?
Finding a useful book while looking for something else, or meeting a future collaborator by chance, can be serendipity.
Where does serendipity come from?
Horace Walpole coined it in 1754 from The Three Princes of Serendip, a story about accidental discoveries made with insight.
What is the adjective form of serendipity?
The adjective is serendipitous, as in "a serendipitous meeting".
Is serendipity formal?
It is not highly formal, but it has a literary, thoughtful tone and is less casual than luck.