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Innovation is serendipity, so you don't know what people will make.
Tim Berners-Lee

Meaning of "serendipity" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD SERENDIPITY

Coined by Horace Walpole, from the Persian fairytale The Three Princes of Serendip, in which the heroes possess this gift.
info
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF SERENDIPITY

serendipity  [ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪtɪ] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF SERENDIPITY

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Serendipity is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES SERENDIPITY MEAN IN ENGLISH?

serendipity

Serendipity

Serendipity means a "fortuitous happenstance" or "pleasant surprise". It was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. In a letter he wrote to a friend Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he had made by reference to a Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip. The princes, he told his correspondent, were “always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of”. The notion of serendipity is a common occurrence throughout the history of scientific innovation such as Alexander Fleming's accidental discovery of penicillin in 1928, and the invention of the microwave oven by Percy Spencer in 1945. The word has been voted one of the ten English words hardest to translate in June 2004 by a British translation company. However, due to its sociological use, the word has been exported into many other languages.

Definition of serendipity in the English dictionary

The definition of serendipity in the dictionary is the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH SERENDIPITY


ability
əˈbɪlɪtɪ
activity
ækˈtɪvɪtɪ
authority
ɔːˈθɒrɪtɪ
availability
əˌveɪləˈbɪlɪtɪ
bepity
bɪˈpɪtɪ
capacity
kəˈpæsɪtɪ
celebrity
sɪˈlɛbrɪtɪ
city
ˈsɪtɪ
committee
kəˈmɪtɪ
community
kəˈmjuːnɪtɪ
facility
fəˈsɪlɪtɪ
functionality
ˌfʌŋkʃənˈælɪtɪ
Haiti
ˈheɪtɪ
hospitality
ˌhɒspɪˈtælɪtɪ
humanity
hjuːˈmænɪtɪ
outpity
ˌaʊtˈpɪtɪ
pity
ˈpɪtɪ
snippety
ˈsnɪpɪtɪ
uppity
ˈʌpɪtɪ
wapiti
ˈwɒpɪtɪ

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE SERENDIPITY

sere
serein
Seremban
serenade
serenader
serenata
serenate
serendipitist
serendipitous
serendipitously
serene
serenely
sereneness
serenities
serenity
serf
serfage
serfdom
serfhood
serfish

WORDS THAT END LIKE SERENDIPITY

accessibility
augmented reality
charity
creativity
identity
in the majority
majority
minority
more´s the pity
New York City
opportunity
quality
quantity
reality
responsibility
security
self-pity
the City
university
utility

Synonyms and antonyms of serendipity in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «serendipity» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF SERENDIPITY

Find out the translation of serendipity to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of serendipity from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «serendipity» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

运气
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

serendipia
570 millions of speakers

English

serendipity
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

नसीब
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

الصدفة
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

Serendipity
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

Serendipity
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

লাভজনক
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

sérendipité
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Serendipity
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

Spürsinn
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

セレンディピティ
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

운이 좋았
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Serendipity
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

khả năng cầu may
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

செரெண்டிபிட்டியைப்
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

Serendipity
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

serendipity
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

Serendipity
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

Serendipity
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

Serendipity
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

serendipity
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

serendipity
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

serendipity
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

serendipity
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

serendipity
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of serendipity

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «SERENDIPITY»

The term «serendipity» is quite widely used and occupies the 28.275 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Quite widely used
87
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «serendipity» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of serendipity
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «serendipity».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «SERENDIPITY» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «serendipity» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «serendipity» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about serendipity

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «SERENDIPITY»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word serendipity.
1
Jill Abramson
I admit that I am hopelessly hooked on the printed newspaper. I love turning the pages and the serendipity of stumbling across a piece of irresistible information or a photograph that I wasn't necessarily intending to read.
2
Alan Alda
Some of the greatest things, as I understand, they have come about by serendipity, the greatest discoveries.
3
Emanuel Ax
A lot of it just has to do with luck, serendipity.
4
Jose Manuel Barroso
What people call serendipity sometimes is just having your eyes open.
5
Tim Berners-Lee
Innovation is serendipity, so you don't know what people will make.
6
Jeff Bezos
There'll always be serendipity involved in discovery.
7
Julie Bishop
Synergy and serendipity often play a big part in medical and scientific advances.
8
Heather Brooke
When I was 26 or 27, I gave up journalism. I came to England after my mom died, to let serendipity take its course. And I just found myself back in journalism again.
9
Susan Brooks
I have never chosen my next job. I focus on what's in front of me, and serendipity steps in.
10
Eleanor Clift
Politics is so much about serendipity that we've got to have a bigger pool of women, so that when people drop out of the process, you've got others to turn to.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «SERENDIPITY»

Discover the use of serendipity in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to serendipity and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Serendipity: Accidental Discoveries in Science
Recounts the stories of various inventions, theories, and discoveries in chemistry, physics, archaeology, astronomy, and medicine
Royston M. Roberts, 1989
2
Serendipity: A Novel
Louise Shaffer brings to life three generations of Italian American women in this stunning novel of surprises, secrets, and serendipity.
Louise Shaffer, 2009
3
Happy Accidents: Serendipity in Major Medical Breakthroughs ...
Happy Accidents is a fascinating, entertaining, and highly accessible look at the surprising role serendipity has played in some of the most important medical discoveries in the twentieth century.
Morton A. Meyers, 2013
4
Sew Serendipity
Use the "Custom Fitting" section of this book to learn how to measure yourself and adjust the patterns to get the best possible fit!Embellish your designs to match your style, whether you're feeling the need for classic, tailored elegance, ...
Kay Whitt, 2010
5
Earning Serendipity: 4 Skills for Creating and Sustaining ...
This ability to earn serendipity can elevate a career or company quicker than any single force. And with the skills outlined in this book, readers will be catapulted onto the path of prosperity.
Glenn Llopis, 2009
6
The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity: A Study in ...
This book traces the word's eventful history from its 1754 coinage into the twentieth century--chronicling along the way much of what we now call the natural and social sciences.
Robert K. Merton, Elinor Barber, 2011
7
Serendipity: Fortune and the Prepared Mind
The essays in this volume provide insightful and entertaining accounts of the relationship between serendipity and knowledge by some of the most eminent thinkers of this generation.
Mark de Rond, Iain Morley, 2010
8
Serendipity Quilts: Cutting Loose Fabric Collage
Save those scraps!
Susan E. Carlson, 2010
9
The Science of Serendipity: How to Unlock the Promise of ...
This is The Science of Serendipity and to benefit from it takes determination, provocation, experimentation and political savvy.
Matt Kingdon, 2013
10
Serendipity
Sarai has lived through one terrible marriage. The last thing she needs is a new man in her life. But Jax isn't interested in taking "no" for an answer...
Joanna Wylde, 2009

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «SERENDIPITY»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term serendipity is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Serendipity Labs® Emerges as Next Coworking Leader
RYE, N.Y., July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- New York based Serendipity Labs Coworking announced today that it has now signed joint venture and franchise ... «PR Newswire, Jul 15»
2
New York's Serendipity 3 creates world's most expensive grilled …
Serendipity 3, which is popular with celebrities such as Beyonce and Jay Z, has now received a World Record for the Most Expensive Sandwich in the World. «Daily Mail, Jun 15»
3
NASDAQ STOCKHOLM WELCOMES SERENDIPITY INNOVATIONS …
Stockholm, March 4, 2015 — Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) announces that the trading in Serendipity Innovations AB's preference shares (short name: SDIP PREF) ... «GlobeNewswire, Mar 15»
4
Invite Serendipity With Strategy
Almost every day, people ask me to meet for coffee, lunch or a drink without clarifying their intent. "Hi, Jurgen, I saw you're visiting my city," they will say. "Can we ... «Entrepreneur, Feb 15»
5
Serendipity Boutique has new owner
EXETER - It is said all things must come to end, which while true does not aptly describe the transfer of ownership of Serendipity Boutique in Exeter that formally ... «Seacoastonline.com, Feb 15»
6
Serendipity Labs® Coworking expands at One South Wacker Office …
Serendipity Labs is a national coworking brand offering workplace memberships as a lifestyle hospitality experience to corporate professionals, independent ... «PR Newswire, Jan 15»
7
Cafe Serendipity Holdings, Inc., fka Force Fuels, Inc. Announces …
HENDERSON, NV--(Marketwired - Jan 22, 2015) - Cafe Serendipity Holdings, Inc. ( OTC PINK : FOFU ) (the "Company"), fka Force Fuels, Inc., a national brand ... «Yahoo Finance UK, Jan 15»
8
Serendipity Point Film Launches Scripted Television Division
Serendipity Point Films is expanding its television programming with the launch of a new scripted division, Variety has learned. Alyse Rosenberg (pictured), the ... «Variety, Jan 15»
9
mCig, Inc. Forms Strategic Partnership With Force Fuels, Inc. aka …
mCig, Inc. believes that partnering with Café Serendipity will be mutually beneficial to both companies through the doubling of branding and product awareness ... «GlobeNewswire, Jan 15»
10
Why Planned Serendipity Matters, and How 'Unconferencing' Is a …
I've noticed two things about the ad game. First, we're a business that - on the surface - changes and moves at a fast pace. As new technologies emerge brands ... «Huffington Post, Nov 14»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Serendipity [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/serendipity>. May 2024 ».
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