different between operative vs operate

English

Etymology

From Middle French operatif (modern French opératif).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??p???t?v/, (colloquial) /??p??t?v/

Adjective

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

   • It holds in all operative principles.

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. [from 18th c.]

   operative surgery

Derived terms

• operatively
• operativeness
• operative word
• operativity
• preoperative, postoperative, inoperative, nonoperative

Related terms

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

Translations

Noun

operative (plural operatives)

1. An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
2. A spy, secret agent, or detective.
3. A participant in an operation.

Translations

References

• 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 15566697, page 145, column 2.

Anagrams

• evaporite

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

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

Italian

Adjective

operative

1. feminine plural of operativo

Anagrams

• operatevi

Latin

Adjective

oper?t?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of oper?t?vus

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

operative

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

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

operative

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

Swedish

Adjective

operative

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of operativ.

English

Etymology

From Latin oper?tus, past participle of oper?r? (“to work, labor, toil, have effect”), from opus, operis (“work, labor”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??p??e?t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??p??e?t/
• Hyphenation: op?er?ate

Verb

operate (third-person singular simple present operates, present participle operating, simple past and past participle operated)

1. (transitive or intransitive) To perform a work or labour; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical; to act.
2. (transitive or intransitive) To produce an appropriate physical effect; to issue in the result designed by nature; especially (medicine) to take appropriate effect on the human system.
3. (transitive or intransitive) To act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power or influence.
   • September 28, 1706, Francis Atterbury, a sermon

     The virtues of private persons operate but on a few.

   • 1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Young Clergyman

     A plain, convincing reason operates on the mind both of a learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live.

4. (medicine, transitive or intransitive) To perform some manual act upon a human body in a methodical manner, and usually with instruments, with a view to restore soundness or health, as in amputation, lithotomy, etc.
5. (transitive or intransitive) To deal in stocks or any commodity with a view to speculative profits.
6. (transitive or intransitive) To produce, as an effect; to cause.
7. (transitive or intransitive) To put into, or to continue in, operation or activity; to work.

Derived terms

• inter-operate
• operatable

Related terms

Translations

References

• operate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• operate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Italian

Adjective

operate pl

1. plural of operata

Verb

operate

1. second-person plural present of operare
2. second-person plural imperative of operare
3. feminine plural past participle of operare

Anagrams

• poetare
• poeterà

Latin

Participle

oper?te

1. vocative masculine singular of oper?tus