Today’s Word of the Day: “Serendipity”
Let’s delve deeper into this word.
Serendipity [ser-uh n-dip-i-tee]
Etymology of the Word The word “Serendipity” was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754, inspired by a Persian fairy tale “The Three Princes of Serendip”, in which the princes were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.
Grammar of the Word “Serendipity” is a noun, meaning it is the main subject of a sentence.
Meaning of the Word
- The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
- A fortunate stroke of serendipity.
Pronunciation in Popular Languages
- Hindi – Achanak khushī
- Spanish – Serendipia
- French – Sérénipité
- Mandarin – Shānqǐ de fāxiàn
Usage of the Word in Sentences
- It was pure serendipity that I found the last piece of the puzzle in an old drawer.
- The invention of the microwave was a result of serendipity.
- Their chance meeting at the coffee shop was a stroke of serendipity.
Synonyms Chance, fluke, coincidence, happy accident, etc.
Antonyms Misfortune, planned, intentional, etc.
Quotation “Serendipity is looking in a haystack for a needle and discovering a farmer’s daughter.” – Julius Comroe Jr.
Social Example Here’s an example of how “Serendipity” can be used in a tweet: “Stumbled upon a quaint little bookstore on my walk today. Love these moments of serendipity. #Serendipity #WordOfTheDay”
Word Origin Story Did you know? The word “Serendipity” was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. It was inspired by a Persian fairy tale “The Three Princes of Serendip”, in which the princes were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.
Fun Fact “Serendipity” is often used to describe a fortunate accident or a pleasant surprise that was not looked for.
Challenge Try using “Serendipity” in a sentence today and share it with us in the comments!
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