opportune

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɑpərˈtun/ UK /ˈɒpətjuːn/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
well-chosen or timely; suitable for a particular purpose

She waited for an opportune moment to raise the delicate subject.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · well-chosen or timely;... timely favorable propitious auspicious apt suitable convenient felicitous

Opposites

inopportune untimely unfavorable inconvenientill-timed

Word family

Forms opportunely

Derived forms opportunelyopportuneness opportunityopportunism

Related forms opportunity opportunist importune

Simplified etymology

Opportune entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin opportunus. Formed from ob-, “toward,” and portus, “harbour,” the Latin word referred to a favourable wind carrying ships into harbour; its meaning broadened to describe something happening at a convenient or favourable time. Opportunity comes from the same source.

Etymology

From Old French 'opportun', from Latin 'opportunus' ('fit, suitable'), originally a nautical term meaning '(of wind) driving toward the harbor', from 'ob-' ('toward') plus 'portus' ('harbor').

opportunus Latin portus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# opportune

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌɑpərˈtun/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɒpətjuːn/

## Meanings
1. well-chosen or timely; suitable for a particular purpose

## Examples
- She waited for an opportune moment to raise the delicate subject.

## Synonyms
- timely
- favorable
- propitious
- auspicious
- apt
- suitable
- convenient
- felicitous

## Antonyms
- inopportune
- untimely
- unfavorable
- inconvenient
- ill-timed

## Derived Forms
- opportunely
- opportuneness
- opportunity
- opportunism

## Related Forms
- opportunity
- opportunist
- importune

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: opportunus
- Root: portus

## Etymology
From Old French 'opportun', from Latin 'opportunus' ('fit, suitable'), originally a nautical term meaning '(of wind) driving toward the harbor', from 'ob-' ('toward') plus 'portus' ('harbor').

## AI Etymology
Opportune comes from Old French 'opportun', from Latin 'opportunus' ('fit, suitable'), originally a nautical term meaning '(of wind) driving toward the harbor', from 'ob-' ('toward') plus 'portus' ('harbor'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective, it carries the sense "well-chosen or timely; suitable for a particular purpose", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin opportunus and Latin portus. Derivative forms include opportunely, opportuneness, opportunity, opportunism; related words include opportunity, opportunist, importune.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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