Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
serendipity (n.), serendipitous (adj.)
Serendipity means “good luck or good fortune, unearned and unexpected.” It’s from Walpole’s The Three Princes of Serendip—the princes had it. But these and other self-conscious polysyllables (such as thaumaturgical) should be sparingly employed. As with Turkish delight, a very little is often more than enough.
