operative

From Middle French operatif (modern French opératif), equivalent to operate +‎ -ive.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɒpəɹətɪv/, (colloquial) /ˈɒpɹətɪv/

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operative (comparative more operative, superlative most operative)

1. Effectual or important.

   He's usually in a good mood — the operative word there being "usually". Today was a disaster.

2. Functional, in working order.
3. Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects.

   an operative motive

   • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:

     It holds in all operative principles.

   • 1988 April 2, Phillip Brian Harper, “Lesbians and gay men of color, speak out!”, in Gay Community News, page 9:

     This call is operative not merely on the level of abstract theory.

4. Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious.

   an operative dose, rule, or penalty

5. Based upon, or consisting of, a surgical operation or operations.

   operative surgery

• operand
• operant
• operate
• operation
• operational
• operator

operative (plural operatives)

1. An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
   • 1916, Women in industry series, United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics, page 366:

     Practically 50 per cent of the female operatives are found in the two groups aged 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 years, while only 18.2 per cent of the female nonoperatives are found in these age groups.

2. A spy, secret agent, or detective.
3. A participant in an operation.

• James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Operative”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume VII (O–P), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 145, column 2.

• evaporite

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operative

1. inflection of operativ:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

operative

1. feminine plural of operativo

• evaporite, operatevi

operātīve

1. vocative masculine singular of operātīvus

operative

1. inflection of operativ:
   1. definite singular
   2. plural

operative

1. inflection of operativ:
   1. definite singular
   2. plural

operative

1. definite natural masculine singular of operativ