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opportunistic
[ op-er-too-nis-tik, -tyoo- ]
adjective
- adhering to a policy of opportunism; practicing opportunism.
- Pathology.
- (of a microorganism) causing disease only under certain conditions, as when a person's immune system is impaired.
- (of a disease or infection) caused by such an organism:
Pneumocystis pneumonia is an opportunistic disease that often strikes victims of AIDS.
opportunistic
/ ˌɒəʊˈɪɪ /
adjective
- of or characterized by opportunism
- med (of an infection) caused by any microorganism that is harmless to a healthy person but debilitates a person whose immune system has been weakened by disease or drug treatment
Derived Forms
- ˌDZǰٳˈԾپ, adverb
Other Word Forms
- DZpǰ·ٳܲ·t·· adverb
- ܲo·ǰ·ٳܲ·t adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of opportunistic1
Example Sentences
Our paper from 2023 is a big, big summary of the fungi found through these opportunistic sampling events over an 11 year period.
A measles infection temporarily suppresses the immune system, Mina said, and it was long assumed that opportunistic infections around the time of the illness were the result of that short-term suppression.
But Emma Orr's opportunistic score brought the visitors back within touching at half-time.
"It's a very wrong thing to do, and opportunistic and somewhat cynical," he added.
California’s black bears are clever, resourceful and opportunistic.
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