opportunity

Etymology

From Middle French opportunité, from Latin opportunitas

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌɒp.əˈtjuː.nɪ.ti/
• (General American) enPR: ä'pər-to͞oʹnə-tē, IPA^(key): /ˌɑpɚˈtunəti/
• Hyphenation: op‧por‧tu‧ni‧ty

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

opportunity (countable and uncountable, plural opportunities)

1. A chance for advancement, progress or profit.

   Having a holiday is a great opportunity to relax.

   I wanted to become a professional, but because of my financial situation there were no opportunities.

   • 2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport‎:

     Chelsea also struggled to keep possession as QPR harried and chased at every opportunity, giving their opponents no time on the ball.

2. A favorable circumstance or occasion.
3. (nonstandard, Euro-English) opportuneness

   The Court questioned the opportunity of introducing these measures in such an uncertain economic climate.

Further reading

• opportunity in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• opportunity in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911