previous next
opportūnus (obp- ), a, um, adj. obportus, lit., at or before the port; hence,
I. In gen., fit, meet, convenient, suitable, seasonable, opportune (class.; syn.: commodus, utilis): tempus actionis opportunum, Graece εὐκαιρια, Latine appellatur occasio, Cic. Off. 1, 40, 142: “aetas opportunissima,” id. Fam. 7, 7, 2: “nihil opportunius accidere vidi,” id. ib. 10, 16, 1.—Subst.: op-portūna , ōrum, n., fit or convenient things: “locorum opportuna,” Tac. A. 4, 24.—
II. In partic.
A. Advantageous, serviceable, useful: “ceterae res, quae expetuntur, opportunae sunt singulae rebus singulis,” Cic. Lael. 6, 22.—
B. Fit, suitable, adapted to any thing: ad omnia haec magis opportunus nemo est, Ter Eun. 5, 8, 47.—
C. Exposed, liable to any thing: “Romanus cedentem hostem effuse sequendo opportunus huic eruptioni fuit,” Liv. 6, 24: “injuriae,” Plin. 9, 31, 51, § 98: “opportuniora morbis corpora,” id. 18, 7, 12, § 68.—Hence, adv.: opportūnē , fitly, seasonably, opportunely (class.), Ter. Ad. 1, 2, 1: “venisse,” Cic. N. D. 1, 7, 16: “locus opportune captus ad eam rem,” id. Rosc. Am. 24, 68: “opportune, importune,” in season and out of season, Vulg. 2 Tim. 4, 2.—Comp.: “opportunius alio loco referemus,” Gai. Inst. 2, 97.— Sup.: “nuntiis opportunissime allatis,” Caes. B. C. 3, 101; Liv. 32, 18.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (12 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (12):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 7.7.2
    • New Testament, 2 Timothy, 4.2
    • Cicero, For Sextus Roscius of Ameria, 24.68
    • Caesar, Civil War, 3.101
    • Tacitus, Annales, 4.24
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 18.68
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 9.98
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 6, 24
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 32, 18
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 1.7
    • Cicero, De Amicitia, 6
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.40
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: