op·er·a·tive

(ŏp′ər-ə-tĭv, -ə-rā′tĭv, ŏp′rə-)

adj.

1. Being in effect; having force; operating: "Two major tendencies are operative in the American political system" (Heinz Eulau).

2. Functioning effectively; efficient.

3. Engaged in or concerned with physical or mechanical activity.

4. Of, relating to, or resulting from a surgical operation.

5. Significant; most important; key: The operative word is "low-fat."

1. A skilled worker, especially in industry.

a. A secret agent; a spy.

b. A private investigator.

3. One who works for a political organization, often wielding influence out of public view.

op′er·a·tive·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

operative

(ˈɒpərətɪv)

adj

1. in force, effect, or operation

2. exerting force or influence

3. producing a desired effect; significant: the operative word.

4. (Surgery) of or relating to a surgical procedure

5. a worker, esp one with a special skill

6. US a private detective

ˈoperatively adv

ˈoperativeness, ˌoperaˈtivity n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

op•er•a•tive

(ˈɒp ər ə tɪv, ˈɒp rə tɪv, ˈɒp əˌreɪ tɪv)

n.

1. a person engaged or skilled in some branch of work, esp. productive or industrial work; worker.

2. detective.

3. a secret agent; spy.

4. a clever manipulator; operator.

adj.

5. operating, or exerting force or influence.

6. being in effect or operation.

7. effective or efficacious.

8. significant; key.

9. concerned with, involving, or pertaining to surgical operations.

[1590–1600; < Middle French operatif]

op′er•a•tive•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	operative - a person secretly employed in espionage for a government intelligence agent, intelligence officer, secret agent agent - a representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations agent-in-place - an operative serving as a penetration into an intelligence target agent provocateur, provocateur - a secret agent who incites suspected persons to commit illegal acts bridge agent - an operative who acts as a courier or go-between from a case officer to a secret agent in a hostile area case officer - an operative who also serves as an official staffer of an intelligence service codetalker, windtalker - a secret agent who was one of the Navajos who devised and used a code based on their native language; the code was unbroken by the Japanese during World War II foot - a member of a surveillance team who works on foot or rides as a passenger NOC - an undercover agent who is given no official cover spy, undercover agent - (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors walk-in - an operative who initiates his own defection (usually to a hostile country) for political asylum
	2.	operative - someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information private detective, private eye, private investigator, shamus, sherlock, PI detective - an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public hotel detective, house detective - a private detective employed by a hotel or retail store inquiry agent - a private detective store detective - a private detective employed by a merchant to stop pilferage
Adj.	1.	operative - being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system" inoperative - not working or taking effect; "an inoperative law"
	2.	operative - relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry" surgical
	3.	operative - effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word" significant, important - important in effect or meaning; "a significant change in tax laws"; "a significant change in the Constitution"; "a significant contribution"; "significant details"; "statistically significant"
	4.	operative - (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes" working, functional, running functioning - performing or able to perform its regular function; "a functioning flashlight"

operative

adjective

1. in force, current, effective, standing, functioning, active, efficient, in effect, in business, operational, functional, in operation, workable, serviceable The scheme was operative by the end of 1983.
in force powerless, ineffective, inefficient, unworkable, unusable, inoperative, nonfunctional

2. working, going, running, functioning Make sure that the safety equipment is operative.

3. relevant, important, key, fitting, significant, appropriate, crucial, influential, apt, applicable, indicative, pertinent, apposite, germane A small whisky may help you sleep - `small' being the operative word.

noun

1. worker, hand, employee, mechanic, labourer, workman, artisan, machinist, working man or working woman In an automated car plant there is not a human operative to be seen.

2. (U.S. & Canad.) spy, secret agent, double agent, secret service agent, undercover agent, mole, foreign agent, fifth columnist, nark (Brit., Austral., & N.Z. slang) The CIA wants to protect its operatives.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

operative

adjective

1. In effect:

effective, operational.

2. Available for use:

accessible, employable, open, operable, practicable, usable, utilizable.

3. In action or full operation:

active, alive, functioning, going, operating, running, working.

noun

1. One who labors:

hand, laborer, roustabout, worker, working girl, workingman, workingwoman, workman, workwoman.

2. A person who secretly observes others to obtain information:

agent, spy.

Informal: spook.

Idiom: secret agent.

Translations

فَعّال، نافِذ المَفْعول

gældendevirksom

wirksam

εργάτης

en vigor

agent en vigueur ouvrier

virkur, í gildi

attivo in vigore

yürürlükte

起作用的

operative

[ˈɒpərətɪv]

A. ADJ

1. (gen) → operativo
the operative word → la palabra clave

2. (Jur) to be operative → estar en vigor
to become operative from the 9th → entrar en vigor a partir del 9

3. (Med) → operatorio

B. N (= worker) → obrero/a m/f; (with a special skill) → operario/a m/f, obrero/a m/f especializado/a

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

operative

[ˈɒpərətɪv]

adj

[measure, scheme] → opérationnel(le)
to be fully operative → être pleinement opérationnel operative word

n (in factory) → ouvrier/ière m/foperative word n
the operative word → le mot qui compte

operative

adj

(= producing an effect) measure, laws → wirksam; clause → maßgeblich, entscheidend; (= in effect) law → rechtsgültig, geltend; plan, system, service → operativ; “if” being the operative word → wobei „wenn“ das entscheidende Wort ist; to become operative (law) → in Kraft treten; (system etc) → verbindlich eingeführt werden

(Med) treatment → operativ; operative report → Operationsbericht m; operative risk → Operationsrisiko nt

n (of machinery) → Maschinenarbeiter(in) m(f); (= detective) → Detektiv(in) m(f); (= spy) → Agent(in) m(f); (US Pol: = campaign worker) → Parteiarbeiter(in) m(f)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

operative

[ˈɒp/ərətɪv]

1. adj

a. (law, measure) → in vigore, operativo/a, operante
the operative word → la parola chiave

b. (Med) → operatorio/a

2. n (in factory) → operaio/a

operate

(ˈopəreit) verb

1. to act or work. The sewing-machine isn't operating properly.

2. to do or perform a surgical operation. The surgeon operated on her for appendicitis.

ˌopeˈration noun

1. an action or process, especially when planned. a rescue operation.

2. the process of working. Our plan is now in operation.

3. the act of surgically cutting a part of the body in order to cure disease. an operation for appendicitis.

4. (often in plural) the movement, fighting etc of armies. The general was in command of operations in the north.

ˌopeˈrational adjective

in good working order.

ˈoperative (-rətiv) , ((American) -reitiv) adjective

in action, having effect. Many old laws are still operative.

ˈoperator noun

1. a person who works a machine. a lift operator.

2. a person who connects telephone calls. Ask the operator to connect you to that number.

ˈoperating room noun

(sometimes theatre) the room in a hospital in which operations are performed.

operative

adj operatorio