See Also: opportunist(dictionary)
opportunist(dictionary)

opportunist (iou)



opportunist noun & adjective. L19.
[formed as OPPORTUNISM + -IST.]
A. noun.
A person who advocates or practises opportunism, esp. in politics; Hist. a person who in 1870 held that the time was opportune for the promulgation of the doctrine of papal infallibility (cf. INOPPORTUNIST). Now esp., a person who practises opportunism in an aggressive or exploitative manner. L19.
C. Francis Drake was an opportunist who traded, robbed or raided to achieve his aims. S. Rosenberg The Party was becoming corrupt with more opportunists..than honest communists.
Medicine. An opportunistic fungus or micro-organism. M20.
Ecology. An opportunistic species. L20.
b. adjective. Of or pertaining to opportunism or an opportunist; opportunistic. L19.