opportune
adjective
op·por·tune
ˌä-pər-ˈtün 
-ˈtyün
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
T. E. Vedney2
: occurring at an appropriate time
an opportune offer of assistance
The book's publication is opportune.
opportunely
adverb
Did you know?
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.
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
Bucket – his first of the evening at the most opportune time.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2024
This is an opportune moment for business leaders to rethink their operational strategies, especially in the business services industry, by transitioning from traditional business process outsourcing (BPO) to embrace business process improvement (BPI).
—Partha Desarkar, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
There was Isaac, a boy who carried around a miniature shofar in his pocket and blew it at inopportune times, though arguably there are few opportune times to blow a ram’s horn in modern life.
—Nicolaia Rips, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
Rather, this is an opportune time to inject some color.
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opportune 
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Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2024
This is an opportune moment for business leaders to rethink their operational strategies, especially in the business services industry, by transitioning from traditional business process outsourcing (BPO) to embrace business process improvement (BPI).
—Partha Desarkar, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
There was Isaac, a boy who carried around a miniature shofar in his pocket and blew it at inopportune times, though arguably there are few opportune times to blow a ram’s horn in modern life.
—Nicolaia Rips, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
Rather, this is an opportune time to inject some color.
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opportune
Articles Related to opportune
Dictionary Entries Near opportune
Cite this Entry
“Opportune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportune. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
opportune
adjective
op·por·tune
ˌäp-ər-ˈt(y)ün
: 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.
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