Serendib

Serendib

▪ island of Sri Lanka
also spelled  Serendip , Arabic  Sarandīb 

      name for the island of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). The name, Arabic in origin, was recorded in use at least as early as AD 361 and for a time gained considerable currency in the West. It is best known to speakers of English through the word serendipity, invented in the 18th century by the English man of letters Horace Walpole (Walpole, Horace, 4th earl of Orford) on the inspiration of a Persian fairy tale, “The Three Princes of Serendip,” whose heroes often made discoveries by chance.

      The name Serendib is a corruption of the Sanskrit compound Siṃhaladvīpa (“Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island”). The Arabs are thought to have borrowed the name from Indians with whom they traded.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Serendib — may refer to:*Serendib, the old Arabic name for Sri Lanka * Serendib (spider), a spider genus (Corinnidae) …   Wikipedia

  • Serendib — (Serendis, Serendiv), Insel, so v.w. Ceylon …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Serendib — Serendib …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Serendib — ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජය இலங்கை ஜனநாயக சமத்துவ குடியரசு Demokratische Sozialistische Republik Sri Lanka …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Serendib — noun An ancient name of Ceylon or Sri Lanka His last two journeys were to Sri Lanka, or Serendib as Arab mariners knew it …   Wiktionary

  • Serendib-Zwergohreule — Systematik Klasse: Vögel (Aves) Ordnung: Eulen (Stri …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Serendib Scops Owl — Conservation status …   Wikipedia

  • Serendib Hotel Bentota (Bentota) — Serendib Hotel Bentota country: Sri Lanka, city: Bentota (Central Bentota) Serendib Hotel Bentota Location Located on the west coast of Sri Lanka, approximately 2 hrs and 30 minutes South of Colombo city and the International Airport. Rooms All… …   International hotels

  • Serendib Villa — (Негомбо,Шри Ланка) Категория отеля: Адрес: Station Road No.68, Pallangature Kochchi …   Каталог отелей

  • Serendib — geographical name see Ceylon 1 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”