serendipitous
Meaning: Occurring or discovered by happy accident or chance, typically while looking for something else entirely.
Serendipitous describes fortunate discoveries that were not deliberately sought. Unlike 'fortuitous,' which is neutral about outcomes, serendipitous always implies a pleasant surprise. 'A serendipitous encounter,' 'a serendipitous finding,' and 'serendipitous circumstances' are common collocations. The word is particularly popular in scientific writing, where many breakthroughs — penicillin, X-rays, Post-it notes — are described as serendipitous discoveries.
Examples
- The serendipitous meeting at a conference in Geneva led to a research partnership lasting twenty years. 在日内瓦一次会议上的机缘巧合的相遇,促成了长达二十年的研究合作。El encuentro serendípico en un congreso de Ginebra dio lugar a una colaboración investigadora de veinte años.ジュネーブの学会での偶然の出会いが、20年にわたる研究パートナーシップにつながった。제네바 학술대회에서의 우연한 만남이 20년에 걸친 연구 협력으로 이어졌다.
- Fleming's serendipitous discovery of penicillin remains one of the most celebrated stories in medical history. 弗莱明偶然发现青霉素至今仍是医学史上最著名的故事之一。El descubrimiento serendípico de la penicilina por Fleming sigue siendo una de las historias más célebres de la historia de la medicina.フレミングによるペニシリンの偶然の発見は、医学史上最も有名なエピソードの一つとして語り継がれている。플레밍의 페니실린 우연 발견은 의학사에서 가장 유명한 일화 중 하나로 남아 있다.
- It was entirely serendipitous that they chose the same restaurant on the same evening. 他们在同一个晚上选择了同一家餐厅,纯属巧合。Fue completamente serendípico que eligieran el mismo restaurante la misma noche.同じ夜に同じレストランを選んだのは、まったくの偶然だった。그들이 같은 저녁에 같은 레스토랑을 선택한 것은 전적으로 우연의 일치였다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, media, general
Tone: positive
Origin & History
Coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole, inspired by the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip (an old name for Sri Lanka), whose heroes were 'always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.'
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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