The Curious Origins of Serendipity

March 14, 2025

How a Persian Fairy Tale Gave Us One of English’s Most Beautiful Words

Have you ever found something amazing completely by accident? Maybe you discovered a hidden bookstore on a random walk, met a lifelong friend by chance, or stumbled upon the perfect song just when you needed it. This kind of happy accident is called ‘serendipity,’ a word that beautifully captures the magic of unexpected good fortune. But did you know that ‘serendipity’ has an unusual origin that traces back to an ancient Persian fairy tale?

The word was first coined in 1754 by British writer Horace Walpole, who was inspired by the story of The Three Princes of Serendip. In this tale, three wise princes from ‘Serendip’—an old name for Sri Lanka—made discoveries not through direct searching, but by observing small clues and making clever deductions. Walpole used ‘serendipity’ to describe this kind of accidental but fortunate discovery.

Over time, ‘serendipity’ evolved beyond just clever discoveries. Today, it describes any unexpected but wonderful event, whether in science, art, or everyday life. Many groundbreaking scientific discoveries, such as penicillin and microwave ovens, were made by accident—true examples of serendipity in action!

The beauty of serendipity is that it reminds us to embrace the unexpected. Sometimes, the best things in life come when we least expect them!

More Weekly Wonders

Pack ID	Vocab	Type	Definition	Usage
1011	Serendipity	Noun	The occurrence of fortunate events by chance	Finding the perfect café on a rainy day was pure serendipity.
1011	Fortuitous	Adjective	Happening by chance in a lucky way	It was fortuitous that she met her future business partner at the airport.
1011	Providence	Noun	Protective care of a higher power or fate	Through sheer providence, he avoided missing his flight.
1011	Kismet	Noun	Destiny or fate, often with a positive outcome	It felt like kismet when they ran into each other years later.
1011	Happenstance	Noun	A coincidence or chance happening	By pure happenstance, they booked the same hotel on their vacation.

Pack ID	Paragraph	Content
1011	A Fortuitous Meeting	While traveling through a small town, I experienced a moment of pure serendipity. I walked into a tiny café to escape the rain, only to run into an old friend I hadn't seen in years. It was completely fortuitous, as neither of us had planned to be there, yet we spent hours catching up over coffee. That unexpected reunion reminded me how life’s best moments often happen by chance.
1011	A Twist of Fate	It felt like pure kismet when Emma missed her train and ended up sharing a taxi with a kind stranger. By sheer happenstance, they struck up a conversation and realized they had grown up in the same neighborhood but had never met. Whether it was luck or providence, that chance encounter led to a lifelong friendship. Sometimes, the universe has a way of bringing people together at just the right moment.

Pack ID	Image	File
1011	Fairy images 1