Serendipity / noun / ser·en·dip·i·ty
We use the word serendipity in English as a noun. It describes the circumstances of a stroke of good luck, a sudden positive upturn in our lives, or a happy accident.
Serendipity is a phenomenon that occurs when we receive a stroke of unexpected good luck. When serendipity happens, everything in our lives suddenly turns out in our favor with no direct effort from us.
People often confuse the word serendipity with fate because they share a similar meaning. Both happen unexpectedly. However, whether an experience is positive or negative differentiates the two.
We see serendipitous events as pleasant or positive, while events orchestrated by fate can be positive, negative, neutral, and often final.
In a Sentence
The coastal residents experienced serendipity when the category five hurricane passed without breaching the coastline.
People who have experienced serendipitous circumstances in their lives say it is a rare and often life-changing event when it happens.
Serendipity happens when we least expect it.
Etymology
The first use of the word serendipity is in a novel written by Horace Walpole around the 18th century. Etymologists say he created the word serendipity by changing words in the early novel, The Three Princes of Serendip. The definition of serendipity has not changed since we started using it in 1754.
Synonym
Chance, Happy Accident
Antonym
Defeat, Non Achievement
I love this method of vocabulary building. One good word a day is very manageable for the human brain.