First published 1912; not yet revised

serendipitynoun

Etymology
Meaning & use
Pronunciation
Frequency
Compounds & derived words

Quotations

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Factsheet

What does the noun serendipity mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun serendipity. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

See meaning & use

How common is the noun serendipity?

About 0.3occurrences per million words in modern written English

1870	0.0012
1880	0.0018
1890	0.0016
1900	0.0022
1910	0.0026
1920	0.0051
1930	0.013
1940	0.035
1950	0.066
1960	0.11
1970	0.17
1980	0.23
1990	0.28
2000	0.31
2010	0.33

See frequency

How is the noun serendipity pronounced?

British English

/sɛrɛnˈdɪpɪti/

See pronunciation

Where does the noun serendipity come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1700s

The earliest known use of the noun serendipity is in the mid 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for serendipity is from 1754, in the writing of Horace Walpole, author, politician, and patron of the arts.

From a proper name, combined with an English element.

Etymons: proper name Serendip, ‑ity suffix.

See etymology

Nearby entries

serely, adv.a1375–1440
Sere month, n.a1697–
serena, n.1594–1713
serenade, n.1649–
serenade, v.1671–
serenader, n.1677–
serenata, n.1743–
serenate, v.1654
serendibite, n.1902–
serendipitous, adj.1958–
serendipity, n.1754–
serene, n.¹1591–1682
serene, adj. & n.²1508–
serene, v.1613–
serenely, adv.1690–
sereneness, n.1628–
sereness, n.¹a1300–1400
sereness, n.²c1440–
serenify, v.1612
Serenissima, n.1909–
serenissime, adj. & n.1624–

Browse more nearby entries

Etymology

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Compounds & derived words

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Entry history for serendipity, n.

serendipity, n. was first published in 1912; not yet revised.

serendipity, n. was last modified in July 2023.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into serendipity, n. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1912)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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View serendipity in OED Second Edition

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Chicago

Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .

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MLA9

“” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, , .

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Citation details

Factsheet for serendipity, n.

Browse entry

Nearby entries

serely, adv.a1375–1440
Sere month, n.a1697–
serena, n.1594–1713
serenade, n.1649–
serenade, v.1671–
serenader, n.1677–
serenata, n.1743–
serenate, v.1654
serendibite, n.1902–
serendipitous, adj.1958–
serendipity, n.1754–
serene, n.¹1591–1682
serene, adj. & n.²1508–
serene, v.1613–
serenely, adv.1690–
sereneness, n.1628–
sereness, n.¹a1300–1400
sereness, n.²c1440–
serenify, v.1612
Serenissima, n.1909–
serenissime, adj. & n.1624–

Browse more nearby entries