Definition of Operative

1. Noun. A person secretly employed in espionage for a government.


2. Adjective. Being in force or having or exerting force. "The major tendencies operative in the American political system"

3. Noun. Someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information.

4. Adjective. Relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine. "Operative dentistry"
Exact synonyms: Surgical
Similar to: Preoperative, Postoperative
Derivative terms: Operate, Operation, Surgery, Surgery
Antonyms: Medical

5. Adjective. Effective; producing a desired effect. "The operative word"
Similar to: Important, Significant

6. Adjective. (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing. "A functional set of brakes"
Exact synonyms: Functional, Running, Working
Similar to: Functioning
Derivative terms: Functionality, Operate, Operate

Definition of Operative

1. a. Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive.

2. n. A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a machine in a mill or manufactory.

Definition of Operative

1. Adjective. Effectual or important. ¹

2. Adjective. Functional, in working order. ¹

3. Noun. An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill. ¹

4. Noun. A spy, secret agent, or detective. ¹

5. Noun. A participant of an operation. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Operative

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Operative

1. 1. Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive. "It holds in all operative principles." (South) 2. Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious; as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty. 3. Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or operations; as, operative surgery. Origin: Cf.L. Operativus, F. Operatif. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Operative

operationalizability
operationalizable
operationalization
operationalizations
operationalize
operationalized
operationalizes
operationalizing
operationally
operationism
operationisms
operationist
operationists
operations
operations research
operative (current term)
operative dentistry
operative field
operative myxoedema
operatively
operativeness
operativenesses
operatives
operator
operator gene
operator region
operatorial
operatories
operatorless
operators

Literary usage of Operative

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Social Welfare Forum: Official Proceedings ... Annual Forum by National Conference on Social Welfare, American Social Science Association, Conference of Charities (U.S., Conference of Charities (U.S.), National Conference of Social Work (U.S. (1920)
"The organization of international exchange between the co-operative ... The positive expression of this human need is seen in the co-operative movement. ..."

2. The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge (1919)
"A form of communal co-operative activity which forms an important factor in ... As will be seen from the table there are some 2300 co-operative stores which ..."

3. Library Journal by American Library Association, Library Association (1922)
"TORE A Library Co-operative Store ttf~\ UR Co-operative Store," as it is familiarly V/ ... This committee, now called the Co-operative Store Committee, ..."

4. Index of Economic Material in Documents of the States of the United States by Adelaide Rosalia Hasse (1907)
"Table showing general summary of business of each co-operative insurance со. ... Review of co-operative insurance business and defects in legislation ..."

5. Public Affairs Information Service Bulletin by Public Affairs Information Service (1920)
"Commerce Repts no 252 p 519-26 О 27 •19 Co-operative movement in the Czecho-Slovac republic. Ferdinand Jirasek. tables Internat Co-op Bui 12:179-82 S '19 ..."

6. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1902)
"In this first series the chief interest attaches to the rise and fall of the post-operative leucocytosis, a differential count of varieties of leucocytes ..."

7. The Works of Jeremy Bentham by Jeremy Bentham, John Bowring (1843)
"In every form of government in which the possessors of the supreme operative power have not the great body of the people for their constituents, ..."

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