Okay… I’ve searched the Internet, and I have been unable to find the answer. I’ve been told that Cecil is the smartest person on the planet, and I’m assuming those that post on his message board (the teeming millions) are a caliber higher than most.
My question is: Who coined the term “serendipitous”? If I vaguely remember, it was by an American author sometime during the 1940’s. The closest I’ve come to getting an answer is via Merriam-Webster’s site, which states it originated in 1943, but not by whom.
Just to clarify, I’m not looking for the origin of “serendipity”, for which there is ample information (If you’re curious, it was derived from a fable about the 3 Princes of Serendip… Look it up!)
Oops! I guess it helps to actually read the OP before trying to answer.
Anyway, the OED’s first cite for “serendipitous” is:
Which is much later than M-W gives. I haven’t been able to find any earlier cite yet. I did find serendipitist, though, which James Joyce used in 1939.
Hold on, EclecticPoet ! You can’t bring up a fact(Webster’s cites 1943 for serendipitous] and then say that you are satisfied that Joyce said serendipitist and that is your memory. Well and good about your memory.
Where did Webster get the cite in 1943? And, supposedly, for a different word.
Unfortunately, the on-line version of Mirriam-Webster doesn’t give an actual cite; it just says, “Date: 1943.” Maybe the printed version give the cite. The on-line OED gives the 1958 cite. And the on-line Websters Unabridged doesn’t give any cite or date.
When Merriam-Webster generated the dates for the words, they had some interns go through their massive citation files and find the earliest cite there. Then they compared that date with the first one in the OED. Whichever was earliest went into the dictionary. So to find the 1943 cite, go visit M-W’s offices in Springfield MA and ask if you can browse their files. Who knows, maybe they will let you.
Or you could try emailing them and ask if they can do it for you.
