serendipity

Where does the word "serendipity" come from? It comes from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa, passing through Arabic and English before entering English (1754).

Serendipity’s story begins in Sanskrit: Simhaladvipa meant “an old name for the island of Sri Lanka.” Meant 'Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island', an old name for the island now called Sri Lanka. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Arabic as Sarandib. Arab traders adopted the Sanskrit place name for the island. From there it passed into English as Serendip by 1708. The old name entered English via Persian tales and travel writing. It reached English by 1754 as serendipity. Coined by Horace Walpole from the fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip', whose heroes made lucky discoveries by accident. Today, serendipity means the occurrence of pleasant or valuable discoveries by accident; a fortunate, unplanned finding.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient Simhaladvipa "an old name for the island of Sri Lanka", meant 'Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island', an old name for the island now called Sri Lanka.
2. Stage 2 · Arabic · medieval Sarandib "Ceylon, Sri Lanka", Arab traders adopted the Sanskrit place name for the island.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1708 Serendip "an old poetic name for Ceylon", the old name entered English via Persian tales and travel writing.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1754 serendipity "the faculty of making fortunate, unexpected discoveries", coined by Horace Walpole from the fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip', whose heroes made lucky discoveries by accident.