Serendipity

ˌsɛrənˈdɪpəti

noun

the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

The word 'serendipity' was coined by Horace Walpole in a letter written in 1754, where he explained a fairy tale called 'The Three Princes of Serendip'. In this tale, the characters were always making discoveries by accidents and sagacity. From this idea, the term 'serendipity' came to represent the concept of making fortunate discoveries by chance.

See how Stephen King uses "serendipity", with its meaning, pronunciation and a real book example.