Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “opportune” come from?

Opportune comes from Old French opportun, from Latin opportunus meaning "suitable" or "timely," formed from ob- "toward" and a root related to Proto-Indo-European per- "to go through" or "forward."

opportune (English): Suitable for some particular purpose; At a...

Definitions

  1. Suitable for some particular purpose; At a...

Ancestry of “opportune”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchopportunité—
2Latinopportūnitās—
3Latinopportūnus—
4LatinPortus—
5Proto-Italicportusharbour
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpértuscrossing
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “opportune”

  • opportunity
  • inopportune
  • opportunely
  • inopportunely
  • opportuneness
  • inopportuneness
  • inopportunity
  • op shop
  • opportunivore
  • opportunityless
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →