opportun

Opportun is a rarely attested term in English, best understood as a historical or linguistic variant related to the word opportune. In modern English, opportune is the standard adjective meaning fitting or advantageous at the right moment, while opportun is largely considered obsolete or confined to older texts and etymological discussions. The form may appear in scholarly contexts as a historical root or in discussions of the word family rather than as a common vocabulary item.

Etymology and cognates

The word originates from Latin opportunus, meaning favorable or well-titted, which passed into English through Old French opportun. It is closely related to related derivatives such as opportunity, opportunist, and opportunism, all drawing on the same Latin root. However, in contemporary usage, English speakers typically employ opportune, opportunity, or the related derivatives rather than opportun itself.

Usage and context

Because opportun is not part of standard modern English, its appearance is mostly confined to linguistic, etymological, or historical contexts. In French, opportun remains a common adjective meaning timely or opportune, illustrating how similar roots have evolved differently across languages. In English texts, opportun may surface as a historical note, a component of a root in scholarly discussion, or as a rare variant cited in dictionaries.

See also

opportune, opportunity, opportunist, opportunism, Latin opportunus

Notes

Opportun can be encountered in discussions of word formation and etymology, but it is not a widely used standalone term in contemporary English.