the occurrence of fortunate events by chance or luck
example
Their meeting was pure serendipity, occurring just when they both needed to hear each other's perspective.
synonyms
chancefortuneluck
word origin — The word 'serendipity' was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754, inspired by the Persian fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip,' in which the princes make discoveries by accidents and sagacity of things they were not in quest of.
TOEFL Vocabulary — Set 50
Set 50 of TOEFL Vocabulary covers 5 words: serendipity, folklore, muse, parameter, extinction. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
serendipity · noun/ˌsɛr.ənˈdɪ.pə.ti/
the occurrence of fortunate events by chance or luck
Their meeting was pure serendipity, occurring just when they both needed to hear each other's perspective.
Synonyms: chance, fortune, luck
Origin: The word 'serendipity' was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754, inspired by the Persian fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip,' in which the princes make discoveries by accidents and sagacity of things they were not in quest of.
folklore · noun/ˈfoʊkˌlɔr/
the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community passed through generations
The rich folklore of the region includes tales of mythical creatures and ancient heroes that have been passed down through generations.
Synonyms: folktales, traditions, cultural heritage
Origin: The word 'folklore' is derived from the combination of 'folk', meaning a group of people, and 'lore', meaning knowledge or tradition, originating in the mid-19th century.
muse · noun/mjuːz/
a person or entity that inspires creativity or artistic expression
The artist found her muse in the vibrant colors of the sunset, which inspired a breathtaking series of paintings.
Origin: The word 'muse' originates from the Latin 'musa' and the Greek 'mousa', referring to the goddesses of the arts and sciences in ancient mythology.
parameter · noun/pəˈræm.ɪ.tɚ/
a characteristic or factor that defines a system, establishes its limits, or determines its behavior
In order to achieve accurate results, the researchers needed to adjust several key parameters of the experiment.
Synonyms: criterion, standard, specification
Origin: from Greek 'parametron' meaning 'a measure alongside'
extinction · noun/ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/
the state of a species or other group of organisms no longer existing
The extinction of the passenger pigeon in the early 20th century serves as a warning about the impact of human activity on wildlife.
Synonyms: extirpation, annihilation, elimination
Origin: from Latin 'extinctio', from 'exstinguere', meaning 'to extinguish'