different between operative vs utilitarian

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 utility +? -arian, Coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham as early as 1781, and popularized by his student John Stuart Mill, who mistakenly attributed the term to John Galt.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ju??t?l??t???i.?n/
• (General American, Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /ju?t?l??t??i.?n/

Adjective

utilitarian (comparative more utilitarian, superlative most utilitarian)

1. of or relating to utility
2. (ethics) pertaining to utilitarianism
3. practical and functional, present for use, not just for show.

Translations

Noun

utilitarian (plural utilitarians)

1. Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.

Translations

Derived terms

• utilitarianism
• futilitarianism
• utilitarianly

Further reading

• "utilitarian" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 327.
• “utilitarian”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.