oportunistlikeks

Oportunistlikeks is the translative plural form of the Estonian adjective oportunistlik, meaning opportunistic. It is used with a plural subject to express a change of state into being opportunists, typically after a verb of becoming, such as muutuma. For example, Nad muutusid oportunistlikeks means “They became opportunists.”

Meaning and connotation

Oportunistlik describes behavior aimed at gaining personal advantage, often by taking advantage of circumstances or others. In Estonian, the term generally carries a negative or disapproving tone, highlighting opportunistic rather than principled conduct. The form oportunistlikeks marks not the noun itself but the state of the subjects as they enter that category.

Grammatical notes

The form oportunistlikeks occurs in the translative case (muutuda millegiks, “to become something”) with a plural subject. The singular translative form is oportunistlikuks (for example, Ta muutus oportunistlikuks — “He/She became opportunistic”). This construction is common with predicates that express a change of state.

Related terms

The base adjective oportunistlik has the same root as the noun oportunism (oportunism) and the noun oportunist (opportunist). Related forms include the noun oportunist (opportunist) and the noun oportunism (opportunism), as well as the abstract noun oportunistlikkus (opportunism).

Origin

The Estonian word is borrowed from the English word opportunist (via direct borrowing or through related languages), combined with the Estonian adjectival suffix -lik. This family of terms is used across contexts such as politics, business, and everyday behavior to describe self-serving or seat-of-the-pants decision making.