Lewis & Short

tempestīvus (-vos), a, um, adj. [tempestas, I.], of or belonging to the right time, done or happening at the proper time, timely, seasonable, opportune, fitting, appropriate, suitable (class.; syn. opportunus).

  1. I. In gen.: venti, Cic. N. D. 2, 53, 131: imbres, Just. 44, 1, 4: nondum tempestivo ad navigandum mari, Siciliam adiit, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 12, 34: aggressus tempestivis temporibus, Liv. 45, 19, 10; cf.: veniet narratibus hora Tempestiva meis, Ov. M. 5, 500; Plin. 11, 17, 17, § 53: et tempestivum pueris concedere ludum, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 142: oratio, Liv. 5, 12, 12: caesura arborum, Plin. 16, 43, 84, § 230: vindemia, Col. 11, 2, 67: sarritio, id. 11, 2, 9; 7, 3, 4: multa mihi ipsi ad mortem tempestiva fuerunt, fitting occasions, Cic. Tusc. 1, 45, 109: num parum tempestivos interveni? Tac. Or. 14: oscula maestis tempestiva genis posuit, Stat. Th. 2, 355.
    Neutr. absol.: si tempestivom erit, Col. 1, 8 fin.; Plin. 16, 39, 74, § 188.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. Timely, seasonable, ripe (syn. maturus): maturitas, Cic. Sen. 2, 5: ubi ocymum tempestivom erit, dato primum, Cato, R. R. 54, 3; so, fructus, Cic. Off. 2, 4, 14; Col. 3, 21, 10: pullorum examina, Lucr. 5, 1363: pinus, Verg. G. 1, 256.
      Comp.: cassita in sementes forte concesserat tempestiviores, Gell. 2, 29, 5.
      1. 2. Transf., of persons, ripe, mature (poet. and in postAug. prose): tempestiva viro, Hor. C. 1, 23, 12 (for which: filia Jam matura viro, Verg. A. 7, 53; and: matura virgo, Hor. C. 3, 6, 22); so, Rhode, id. ib. 3, 19, 27: virgo, Fest. s. v. Romam, p. 269 Müll.: tempestivos erat caelo Cythereïus heros, Ov. M. 14, 584.
    2. B. Pregn., like our timely, betimes, for that which takes place early, in good time, in good season, early; so in the elder Pliny, of early risers: refrigeratum sub dio dari tempestivis antecedente vomitione, Plin. 29, 4, 25, § 80: sani atque tempestivi, id. 7, 53, 54, § 181.
      Esp., of early banquets, beginning while it is yet day: convivia, Cic. Arch. 6, 13; so, convivia (convivium), id. Sen. 14, 46; id. Att. 9, 1, 3; 9, 13, 6; id. Mur. 6, 13: gladiatorum convivium, id. Verr. 2, 3, 25, § 61: solemni et tempestivo adhibetur convivio, Curt. 8, 1, 22; Sen. Ira, 2, 28, 6; Tac. H. 2, 68; Suet. Calig. 45 fin.; cf.: tempestivis epulis delinitus, ubi vino incaluit, etc., Tac. A. 11, 37.
      Sup. seems not to occur.
      Hence, adv.: tempestīvē, at the right time, in proper season, seasonably, opportunely; fitly, appropriately (class.): arare, Cato, R. R. 61, 1; Cic. N. D. 2, 62, 156; Col. 2, 8, 4; Ov. Tr. 4, 10, 81; Just. 34, 1; Suet. Vesp. 23.
      Comp., Hor. C. 4, 1, 9.
      Sup seems not to occur.