About The Word Operative

Bay Area Crosswords

Learn about the word Operative to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Operative definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Operative

Operative Meaning & Definition
Operative Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Operative?

[n] someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information
[n] a person secretly employed in espionage for a government
[adj] being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system"
[adj] (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes"
[adj] relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry"
[adj] effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word"
[adj] of or relating to a surgical operation; "operative surgery"

Synonyms | Synonyms for Operative: at work(p) | effective | functional | functioning | good | important | in effect(p) | in force(p) | in operation(p) | intelligence agent | intelligence officer | key | operant | operating(a) | operational | PI | postoperative | preoperative | private detective | private eye | private investigator | running(a) | secret agent | shamus | sherlock | significant | surgical | working | working(a)

Related Terms | Find terms related to Operative: accessible | active | actor | agent | alive | architect | armipotent | artisan | author | authoritative | Bow Street runner | CIA man | cloak-and-dagger operative | cogent | conductor | counterintelligence agent | counterspy | craftsman | craftswoman | creator | detective | doer | double agent | driver | dynamic | effective | effectual | efficacious | efficient | employable | employee | energetic | engineer | espionage agent | executant | executor | executrix | eye | fabricator | FBI | FBI agent | fed | Federal | forceful | forcible | functional | functionary | functioning | G-man | go | gumshoe | hand | handler | high-potency | high-powered | high-pressure | high-tension | hotel detective | house detective | house dick | in force | in power | inquiry agent | inside man | intelligence agent | investigator | irresistible | laborer | live | machinist | maker | manipulator | mechanic | medium | mighty | mighty in battle | military-intelligence man | mover | narc | naval-intelligence man | operant | operation | operational | operator | performer | perpetrator | pilot | plainclothesman | police detective | potent | powerful | practicable | practical | practitioner | prepotent | prime mover | private detective | private eye | private investigator | producer | puissant | reconnoiterer | revenuer | roustabout | ruling | runner | running | scout | secret agent | Secret Service | shamus | Sherlock Holmes | sleuth | spotter | spy | spy-catcher | steersman | store detective | striking | strong | subject | telling | T-man | treasury agent | undercover man | usable | valid | vigorous | vital | worker | workhand | working | workingman | workman

See Also | agent | agent provocateur | detective | hotel detective | house detective | house dick | inquiry agent | spy | store detective | undercover agent

Operative In Webster's Dictionary

\Op"er*a*tive\, a. [Cf.L. operativus, F. op['e]ratif.] 1. Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive. It holds in all operative principles. --South. 2. Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious; as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty. 3. (Surg.) Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or operations; as, operative surgery.
\Op"er*a*tive\, n. A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a machine in a mill or manufactory.

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