The word "repertitious" has not gained the same level of popularity in the English language as "serendipitous." This discrepancy may be attributed to a more effective promotional strategy behind the latter. "Serendipity," the noun form, was coined by Horace Walpole in the 1750s, inspired by an old name for Sri Lanka, Serendip. In contrast, "repertitious" first appeared in Thomas Blount's 1656 dictionary, highlighting its longer presence in the lexicon.

This observation emphasizes the role of public relations in language adoption, suggesting that even words with historical significance may struggle to find traction without a strong backing. The discussion is part of the book "Reading the Oxford English Dictionary: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages" by Ammon Shea, which examines the nuances and journeys of various words in English.