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serendipity

noun /ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪti/

A happy accident or pleasant surprise that happens by chance.

What it means here
Finding it was a fortunate coincidence rather than a planned outcome.
Similar
luck, chance, fortuity, fluke
Opposite
misfortune, bad luck, tragedy
Memory trick
Picture a serene dip into a lake that unexpectedly reveals treasure
Example
The discovery of penicillin was a serendipity.