Opportune, an adjective, means occurring at a favorable or convenient time. It originates from Latin words relating to a harbor, implying something that helps reach a destination.
Opportune is an adjective meaning 'suitable or convenient for a particular occurrence' or 'occurring at an appropriate time.' It derives from Latin 'opportūnus,' related to favorable winds for reaching a harbor ('portus').
| Word | opportune |
|---|---|
| Date | June 3, 2018 |
| Type | adjective |
| Syllables | ah-per-TOON |
| Etymology | To choose any port in a storm is sometimes the most opportune way of proceeding in a difficult situation—and appropriately so, etymologically speaking. Opportune descends from the Latin opportūnus, which means "favoring one's needs," "serviceable," and "convenient." Originally, opportūnus was probably used of winds with the literal meaning of "blowing in the direction of a harbor." The word is a combination of the prefix ob-, meaning "to," and portus, "port" or "harbor." Latin portus is also at the root of English port. Opportune and port both made their way to English via Anglo-French, with port arriving before the 12th century, and opportune arriving in the 15th century. |
| Examples | Kristin seized upon the first opportune moment to approach her boss about a raise. "We believe that the recent momentum and widespread recognition the concept has received makes it an opportune time to introduce the brand to Sacramento." — David Leuterio, The Sacramento (California) Bee, 5 Apr. 2018 |
| Definition | 1 : suitable or convenient for a particular occurrence 2 : occurring at an appropriate time |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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