operative

[op-er-uh-tiv, op-ruh-tiv, op-uh-rey-tiv]

noun

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

   Synonyms: workman

2. a detective.

   Synonyms: agent, investigator

3. a secret agent; spy.

adjective

1. operating, operating, or exerting force, power, or influence.

2. having force; being in effect or operation.

   laws operative in this city.

3. effective or efficacious.

   Synonyms: serviceable, effectual

4. engaged in, concerned with, or pertaining to work or productive activity.

5. significant; key.

   The operative word in that sentence is “sometimes.”

6. Medicine/Medical.,  concerned with, involving, or pertaining to surgical operations.

operative

/ ˈɒpərətɪv /

adjective

1. in force, effect, or operation

2. exerting force or influence

3. producing a desired effect; significant

   the operative word

4. of or relating to a surgical procedure

noun

1. a worker, esp one with a special skill

2. a private detective

Other Word Forms

• operatively adverb
• operativeness noun
• operativity noun
• interoperative noun
• nonoperative adjective
• unoperative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of operative¹

1590–1600; < Middle French operatif < Latin operāt ( us ) ( operate ) + Middle French -if -ive

Example Sentences

Sativa believes those who held him were police officers or other operatives linked to the authorities.

From BBC

Anthropic said "North Korean operatives" used its models to create fake profiles to apply for remote jobs at US Fortune 500 tech companies.

From BBC

She has dispatched thousands of troops to Mexico’s northern border with the United States, jailed hundreds of alleged trafficking operatives and turned over dozens of suspects over to U.S. authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

He describes a scene in “Dark Wolf” on a subway where Ben encounters an operative who has just killed one of Ben’s teammates.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, it routinely vilifies local reporters as Hamas apologists or operatives.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• operational 
• usable 

When To Use

What does operative mean?

An operative is a person who is employed in or is skilled in a certain branch of work.Operative is generally used to mean a worker, but in some industries, an operative is specifically a representative or a manager.In the fields of espionage and tactics, an operative is almost always a spy or agent working secretly for an organization.Operative also means detective when used in reference to the police force or private investigation teams.As an adjective, operative often means exerting power or influence. Something that is operative is binding or in effect, such as operative laws or an operative organization that establishes rules.In medicine, operative describes something related to a surgical operation. Operative pain, for example, is pain that occurs from having an operation.Example: A public relations operative informed us that there is an emerging crisis.