operative

pronunciation

How to pronounce operative in British English: UK [ˈɒpərətɪv]word uk audio image

How to pronounce operative in American English: US [ˈɑːpərətɪv] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    a person secretly employed in espionage for a government
    someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information
  • Adjective:
    being in force or having or exerting force
    of or relating to a surgical operation
    relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine
    effective; producing a desired effect
    (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing

Word Origin

operative (adj.)
"producing the intended effect," early 15c., from Old French operatif (14c.) or directly from Late Latin operativus "creative, formative," from operat-, past participle stem of operari (see operation). Weakened sense of "significant, important" is from 1955.
operative (n.)
"worker, operator," 1809, from operative (adj.); sense of "secret agent, spy" is first attested 1930, probably from its use by the Pinkerton Detective Agency as a title for their private detectives (1905).

Antonym

Example

1. Of course , the operative phrase here is " in theory . "
2. There has been a curious symmetry to the events of the past few weeks , one republican operative notes .
3. As if to prove it , pakistani authorities arrested an al-qaeda operative in karachi .
4. Her party talks grandly of a concept of " operative federalism " , meaning that states should get more control of public funds .
5. I enjoyed following myself down a street , as a dot on a map , for instance , but all I was really doing was being both cia operative and target in a tiny movie of my own life .

more: >How to Use "operative" with Example Sentences