The occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

Origin: The word 'serendipity' was coined by the English author Horace Walpole in 1754. It was inspired by a Persian fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip,' where the protagonists were always making discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of. The name 'Serendip' is an old name for Sri Lanka, derived from the Arabic 'Sarandib,' which in turn comes from the Sanskrit 'Siṃhaladvīpa' (Siṃhala meaning 'Sri Lankan' and dvīpa meaning 'island'). Historical and Cultural Context: The term 'serendipity' first appeared in a letter written by Walpole to his friend Horace Mann. It originally described the discovery of something good or useful while not specifically searching for it. The concept reflects the idea of a happy accident or pleasant surprise. Evolution: While initially used in a literary context, 'serendipity' has broadened in use to describe unexpected discoveries in various fields, including science and art. It has cognates in several languages, alluding to the idea of fortunate happenstance. Modern Relevance: Today, 'serendipity' is widely used in everyday language to describe the joy of unexpected discoveries. It is often invoked in discussions about creativity, innovation, and the role of chance in making significant breakthroughs.

The word 'serendipity' was voted as one of the ten English words that were hardest to translate by a British translation company.