serendipity (2009-08-26)

Part of Speech: noun

Pronunciation: [se-rên-'dip-i-tee]

Definition: The act of making a fortunate discovery by capricious or quixotic accidence or such accidence (fortuity) itself.

Usage: It is not serendipitous that a C++ book you had on backorder from a publisher arrived in the mail on the same day you start programming. That is simply a coincidence because you had, indeed, ordered the book. However, if you have not breathed a word about your plans to learn C++ and your spouse brings home a book on the subject because she or he is interested in it, too, you have, indeed, dipped into serendipity.

Suggested Usage: "Serendipitous" is the adjective; "serendipitously," the adverb. A person given to serendipitous discovery is a "serendipitist." "Serendipity" is a word that is a bit ironic and often slightly misused: for a discovery to be serendipitous, one must not be looking for it in any way.

Etymology: This word was coined by Horace Walpole, an 18th-century British author, from a fairy tale called "The Princes of Serendip" ("Serendip" was the former name of Sri Lanka). In the story, the eponymous heroes wander around, making unlooked-for discoveries.