A person who exploits circumstances to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by consistent principles or long-term planning.
From Latin 'opportunus' meaning 'favorable,' literally 'toward the port' (ob- + portus), referring to favorable winds for sailing. The modern meaning developed in the 19th century, initially neutral but acquiring negative connotations of unprincipled advantage-seeking.
The original maritime metaphor reveals how opportunity was literally about catching the right wind to reach port safely. It's fascinating that a word rooted in practical seamanship evolved to describe someone who abandons principles for personal gain, transforming from nautical wisdom to moral criticism.
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