opportunistic
op·por·tu·nis·tic
adjective \-tü-ˈnis-tik, -tyü-\Definition of OPPORTUNISTIC
: taking advantage of opportunities as they arise: as a : exploiting opportunities with little regard to principle or consequences <a politician considered opportunistic> b : feeding on whatever food is available <opportunistic feeders> c : being or caused by a usually harmless microorganism that can become pathogenic when the host's resistance is impaired <opportunistic infections>
— op·por·tu·nis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
First Known Use of OPPORTUNISTIC
1892
Rhymes with OPPORTUNISTIC
anachronistic, antagonistic, behavioristic, cannibalistic, characteristic, collectivistic, deterministic, expressionistic, extralinguistic, impressionistic, militaristic, metalinguistic, monopolistic, monotheistic, naturalistic, neologistic, paternalistic, polytheistic, propagandistic, psycholinguistic, reductionistic, relativistic, somnambulistic
op·por·tu·nist·ic
adjective \-t(y)ü-ˈnis-tik\ (Medical Dictionary)Medical Definition of OPPORTUNISTIC
1
: of, relating to, or being a microorganism that is usually harmless but can become pathogenic when the host's resistance to disease is impaired
2
: of, relating to, or being an infection or disease caused by an opportunistic organism <Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and other opportunistic infections that kill AIDS patients—New York Times>
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