Opportunism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice of exploiting circumstances for immediate advantage rather than following consistent principles or long-term plans
2. The tendency to pursue immediate personal gain or advantage by adapting actions to circumstances while disregarding moral principles or ideological consistency
3. A strategy of seizing favorable moments and situations for self-benefit without regard to ethical standards or fixed commitments

Etymology: "Opportunism" comes from French "opportunisme," which is built from "opportune" and the suffix "-ism." The French adjective "opportun" descends from Latin "opportunus," meaning "favourable" or "convenient," literally "toward the port," from "ob" ("toward") and "portus" ("harbour"). The image is of a wind blowing a ship straight into harbour, which is why a favourable moment came to be called opportune. The suffix "-ism" marks a doctrine, practice or habitual attitude, so "opportunism" names the habit of acting on whatever circumstances happen to favour you. The word carries that sense of calculated adaptation into English from French, where the political usage gave it its most pointed flavour: a person who drops principles whenever it suits them. The core idea, though, is simply the old nautical notion of the right wind at the right time, now turned into a judgement about character.

Synonyms: exploitation, self-interest, advantage-taking, opportunistic behavior, pragmatism

Antonyms: principled behavior, idealism, ethics, selflessness, integrity