operative en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈɒpɹətɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation, colloquial)
- /ˈɒpəɹətɪv/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
- /ˈɑpəɹətɪv/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
- /ˈɑpɹətɪv/ (General-American, colloquial, dialectal) of Canada
- /ˈɒpɹətɪv/ (Canada, colloquial, dialectal) of the US
- /ˈɒpəɹətɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Middle English operative, operatyfe, from Middle French operatif (modern French opératif) or its etymon Latin operātīvus. By surface analysis, operate + -ive.
Meanings
-
Effectual or important.
He's usually in a good mood — the operative word there being "usually". Today was a disaster.
- Functional, in working order.
-
Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects.
It holds in all operative principles.
1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:an operative motive
This call is operative not merely on the level of abstract theory.
1988 April 2, Phillip Brian Harper, “Lesbians and gay men of color, speak out!”, in Gay Community News, page 9:
-
Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious.
an operative dose, rule, or penalty
-
Based upon, or consisting of, a surgical operation or operations.
operative surgery
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most operative | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more operative | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
co-öperative · intra-operative · co-operative · operativity · reoperative · operatively · preoperative · operative clause · paraoperative · post-operative · perioperative · unco-operative · Operative Masonry · transoperative · unoperative · interoperative · peri-operative · Co-operative Commonwealth Federation · peroperative · inoperative · intraoperative · nonoperative · operative word · postoperative · retro-operative · pre-operative · disoperative · operativeness · microoperative · cooperative
Relateds
operant · operate · operator · operational · operand · operation
Translations (33)
ota دركار (functional) · fr opératif (effectual) · bg действащ (effectual) · es operatorio (functional) · fr opératoire (based upon a surgical operation) · da fungerende (functional) · bg оперативен (based upon a surgical operation) · fi toimiva (functional) · es operativo (effectual) · nl werkzaam (functional) · it operativo (effectual) · fi operatiivinen (based upon a surgical operation) · da vigtig (effectual) · nb operativ (functional) · da operativ (functional) · nl werkzaam (effectual) · bg работещ (functional) · ru рабо́тающий (functional) · es operativo (functional) · fr opératif (functional) · da bærende (effectual) · pt operatório (based upon a surgical operation) · ru эффекти́вный (effectual) · it operativo (functional) · hi सक्रिय (functional) · es operatorio (based upon a surgical operation) · nn operativ (functional) · it operatorio (based upon a surgical operation) · ru де́йственный (effectual) · ru рабо́чий (functional) · fi vaikuttava (effectual) · ru де́йствующий (functional) · es operatorio (effectual)