Etymograph

English

opportunism

Opportunism comes from French opportun ‘opportune, timely’, from Latin portus ‘harbor, port’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pértus‘crossing’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portus‘harbour’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportus‘harbor, port’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEopportūnus‘favourable, opportune, convenient’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentopportun‘opportune, timely’
  7. French, derivedc. 1600–presentopportunisme
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1917opportunism

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pértus‘crossing’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portus‘harbour’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportus‘harbor, port’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEopportūnus‘favourable, opportune, convenient’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentopportun‘opportune, timely’
  7. French, derivedc. 1600–presentopportunisme
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1917opportunism

Earliest quotation: 1917, V. I. Lenin: “Opportunism today, as represented by its principal spokesman, the…”

Formed from opportune + -ism

Proto-Indo-European *per-

…

Proto-Italic *portus ‘harbour’

Latin portus ‘harbor, port’

Latin opportunus ‘favourable, opportune, convenient’

Old French opportun

English opportune

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per-

first, before, far, per, price, private, press, further, practice, fear, pre, support, primary, report, prime, prior, appreciate, prize, pregnant, practical, afford, precious, transport, interpretation, sport, privilege, importance, parade, par, praise, forth, ferry, pirate, fare, pardon, primitive, export, prix, import, portable, 153 more

through Proto-Indo-European *pértus ‘crossing’

ford, firth, fjord, 10 more

through Latin portus ‘harbor, port’

port, 9 more

through Latin opportūnus ‘favourable, opportune, convenient’

inopportune, 4 more

Today it means

noun The practice of taking advantage of any situations or people to achieve an end, often with no regard for principles or consequences.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / opportunism

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