Word Study
operationalism |
operationalist |
operationally |
operations |
operations research |
operative
| operative field
| operatively
| operator
| operator gene
| operatory
HYPHEN
WORDNET DICTIONARY
CIDE DICTIONARY
OXFORD DICTIONARY
THESAURUS
ROGET THESAURUS
operative
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun operative has 2 senses
- operative(n = noun.person) intelligence agent, intelligence officer, secret agent - a person secretly employed in espionage for a government; Array is a kind of agent
- operative(n = noun.person) pi, private detective, private eye, private investigator, shamus, sherlock - someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information; Array is a kind of detective
has particulars: agent-in-place, agent provocateur, provocateur, bridge agent, case officer, codetalker, windtalker, foot, noc, spy, undercover agent, walk-in
has particulars: hotel detective, house detective, house dick, inquiry agent, store detective
Adjective operative has 4 senses
- operative(a = adj.all) Array - being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system" Antonym: inoperative
- operative(a = adj.all) surgical - relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry" Derived forms verb operate7, noun operation6
- operative(s = adj.all) Array - effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word"
- operative(s = adj.all) functional, running, working - (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes" Derived forms verb operate3, verb operate2
CIDE DICTIONARY
operative, a. [Cf.L. operativus, F. opératif.].
- Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive; operative laws. [1913 Webster]"It holds in all operative principles." [1913 Webster]
- Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious; effective; as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty. [1913 Webster]
- Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or operations; as, operative surgery. [1913 Webster]
operative, n.
- A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a machine in a mill or manufactory. [1913 Webster]
- One who acts as an agent of another, especially a detective or spy. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
operative, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 in operation; having effect.
2 having the principal relevance ('may' is the operative word).
3 of or by surgery.
4 Law expressing an intent to perform a transaction.
--n.
1 a worker, esp. a skilled one.
2 US a private detective.
--adj.
1 in operation; having effect.
2 having the principal relevance ('may' is the operative word).
3 of or by surgery.
4 Law expressing an intent to perform a transaction.
--n.
1 a worker, esp. a skilled one.
2 US a private detective.
Derivative
operatively adv. operativeness n.
Etymology
LL operativus f. L (as OPERATE)
THESAURUS
operative
Bow Street runner, CIA man, FBI, FBI agent, Federal, G-man, Secret Service, Sherlock Holmes, T-man, accessible, active, actor, agent, alive, architect, armipotent, artisan, author, authoritative, cloak-and-dagger operative, cogent, conductor, counterintelligence agent, counterspy, craftsman, craftswoman, creator, detective, doer, double agent, driver, dynamic, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, employable, employee, energetic, engineer, espionage agent, executant, executor, executrix, eye, fabricator, fed, forceful, forcible, functional, functionary, functioning, go, gumshoe, hand, handler, high-potency, high-powered, high-pressure, high-tension, hotel detective, house detective, house dick, in force, in power, inquiry agent, inside man, intelligence agent, investigator, irresistible, laborer, live, machinist, maker, manipulator, mechanic, medium, mighty, mighty in battle, military-intelligence man, mover, narc, naval-intelligence man, operant, operation, operational, operator, performer, perpetrator, pilot, plainclothesman, police detective, potent, powerful, practicable, practical, practitioner, prepotent, prime mover, private detective, private eye, private investigator, producer, puissant, reconnoiterer, revenuer, roustabout, ruling, runner, running, scout, secret agent, shamus, sleuth, spotter, spy, spy-catcher, steersman, store detective, striking, strong, subject, telling, treasury agent, undercover man, usable, valid, vigorous, vital, worker, workhand, working, workingman, workmanROGET THESAURUS
operative
Agent
N doer, actor, agent, performer, perpetrator, operator, executor, executrix, practitioner, worker, stager, bee, ant, working bee, termite, white ant, laboring oar, servant of all work, factotum, workman, artisan, craftsman, handicraftsman, mechanic, operative, working man, laboring man, demiurgus, hewers of wood and drawers of water, laborer, navvy, hand, man, day laborer, journeyman, charwoman, hack, mere tool, beast of burden, drudge, fag, lumper, roustabout, maker, artificer, artist, wright, manufacturer, architect, builder, mason, bricklayer, smith, forger, Vulcan, carpenter, ganger, platelayer, blacksmith, locksmith, sailmaker, wheelwright, machinist, mechanician, engineer, sempstress, semstress, seamstress, needlewoman, workwoman, tailor, cordwainer, minister, servant, representative, coworker, party to, participator in, particeps criminis, dramatis personae, personnel, quorum pars magna fui, faber est quisque fortunae suae.Agency
N agency, operation, force, working, strain, function, office, maintenance, exercise, work, swing, play, interworking, interaction, procurement, causation, instrumentality, influence, action, modus operandi, quickening power, maintaining power, sustaining power, home stroke, operative, efficient, efficacious, practical, effectual, at work, on foot, acting, in operation, in force, in action, in play, in exercise, acted upon, wrought upon, by the agency of through, by means of, I myself must mix with action lest I wither by des.
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