Dictionary

inopportune en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌɪ.nɒ.pəɹˈtjuːn/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Latin inopportūnus. By surface analysis, in- + opportune.

Meanings

1. Unsuitable for some particular purpose.
   • That was a most inopportune spot for a picnic.
   • "It appears I come at an inopportune time, madam," said he, "when my friend, Mr. Rochester, is from home; but I arrive from a very long journey, and I think I may presume so far on old and intimate acquaintance as to install myself here till he returns." 1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter III, in Jane Eyre. […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 77:
2. Happening/occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time.
   • The object is to keep the yard operators apprised of main-line movements, so that they do not plan to occupy the main lines with activity into or out of the yard at an inopportune juncture. 1962 October, G[eoffrey] Freeman Allen, “The New Look in Scotland's Northern Division—II”, in Modern Railways, page 170:
   • The inopportune arrival of the bus cut short the interesting conversation.

Forms

Antonyms

fitting · opportune (antonym(s) of “all”) · appropriate (antonym(s) of) · timely (antonym(s) of)

Deriveds

inopportunely · inopportuneness

Synonyms

untimely · ill-timed (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · unfit · inappropriate (unsuitable for some particular purpose)

Translations (31)

hu alkalmatlan (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · ro neoportun (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · nl ongeschikt (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · pt inoportuno (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · uk недоре́чний (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · nl ongelegen (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · es inoportuno (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · fr inopportun (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · hi असामयिक (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · uk недоре́чний (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · pt inoportuno (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · cy anamserol (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · bg ненавременен (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · ro inoportun (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · cy anghyfleus (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · de unpassend (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · cy annhymig (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · uk несвоєча́сний (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · el ανεπίκαιρος (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · cy amhridiol (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · de unpassend (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · de ungelegen (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · sv oläglig (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · de ungeeignet (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · mk незгоден (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · hu alkalmatlan (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · bg неподходящ (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · ro inoportun (at an inconvenient or inappropriate time) · ca inoportú (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · it inopportuno (unsuitable for some particular purpose) · nl ongepast (unsuitable for some particular purpose)