Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day - opportune
简介
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 31, 2025 is: opportune \ah-per-TOON\ adjective
Opportune describes something that is suitable or convenient for a particular situation, or that is done or happening at an appropriate time.
// They chose an opportune time to invest in real estate.
// She is waiting for an opportune moment to ask for a raise.
[See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportune)
Examples:
“It [the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut] was constructed on the site of an 1830s shipyard built by three mariner brothers, George, Clark, and Thomas Greenman. They, like other entrepreneurs in the booming seafaring community of [Mystic](https://bit.ly/3EGQgbr), took over low-lying and marshy lands whose gently sloping banks and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean were opportune for shipbuilding.” — Annabel Keenan, The New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Did you know?
If you’ve never had the opportunity to learn the history behind opportune, now’s your chance. Both opportune and [opportunity](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunity) come from Latin opportūnus, which can mean “favoring one’s needs,” “serviceable,” or “convenient.” Opportūnus itself, constructed from the prefix ob-, meaning “to,” portu- (stem of the noun portus, meaning “port” or “harbor”), and the adjective suffix -nus, suggests the value of any port available when a storm is brewing or raging. Portus has dropped anchor in other English words as well, including [portal](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portal), [passport](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passport), and of course [port](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/port). Its footprint is also scattered across our maps in coastal place names, from Newport to Puerto Rico to [Porto Alegre](https://www.britannica.com/place/Porto-Alegre).