opportune

adjective

op·​por·​tune ˌä-pər-ˈtün How to pronounce opportune (audio)
-ˈtyün
Synonyms of opportunenext
1
: suitable or convenient for a particular occurrence
an opportune moment
the legal authorities helped by the opportune use of their powers of arrest—T. E. Vedney
2
: occurring at an appropriate time
an opportune offer of assistance
The book's publication is opportune.
opportunely adverb
opportuneness
ˌä-pər-ˈt(y)ün-nəs How to pronounce opportune (audio)
noun

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Opportune comes from Latin opportūnus, which can mean "favoring one's needs," "serviceable," or "convenient." The word is a combination of the prefix ob-, meaning "to," and portus, a word for a port or harbor. It alludes to choosing any port in a storm for safety.

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of opportune in a Sentence

There isn't a more opportune time to invest in the stock market. an opportune rain shower gave them an excuse to leave the outdoor concert early
Recent Examples on the Web The flow Viking has benefited from opportune timing for the cruise industry, namely its recovery from pandemic lockdowns that had wealthy vacationers itching for indulgent respites. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 May 2024 The equity capital market team is instrumental in detecting the most opportune moments for assets sales, at times through block trades on secondary markets, the people said. —Min Jeong Lee, Fortune Asia, 10 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for opportune 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opportune.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French opportun, borrowed from Latin opportūnus "favoring one's needs, serviceable, convenient," probably originally, "blowing in the direction of a harbor (of a wind)," from ob- ob- + portu-, stem of portus "harbor, port entry 1" + -nus, adjective suffix (vowel length perhaps after the ablative portū)

Note: The name of a god of harbors, Portūnus, appears to be a secondary formation by analogy with Neptūnus "Neptune."

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of opportune was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near opportune

opponent

opportune

opportunism

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Opportune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportune. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

opportune

adjective
op·​por·​tune ˌäp-ər-ˈt(y)ün How to pronounce opportune (audio)
: suitable sense 1, timely
an opportune moment to act
opportunely adverb
Etymology

Middle English opportune "opportune, suitable, fit," from early French opportun (same meaning), from Latin opportunus "fit, suitable, convenient," from ob- "toward" and portus "harbor"

Word Origin
The Latin adjective opportunus was used to mean "fit, suitable, or convenient." It was formed from the prefix ob-, meaning "toward," and portus, meaning "harbor." The original meaning was probably "blowing in the direction of a harbor (of a wind)," and hence "favoring one's needs, convenient." The French took the word as opportun with the same basic meaning, and the word came into English as opportune in the 15th century. Nowadays it is often applied to a suitable or favorable time for something, or to something that occurs or is done at just the right time.

More from Merriam-Webster on opportune

Nglish: Translation of opportune for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of opportune for Arabic Speakers

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