OPERATIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does operative mean? 

• OPERATIVE (noun)
  The noun OPERATIVE has 2 senses:

1. a person secretly employed in espionage for a government

2. someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information

  Familiarity information: OPERATIVE used as a noun is rare.

• OPERATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective OPERATIVE has 4 senses:

1. being in force or having or exerting force

2. relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine

3. effective; producing a desired effect

4. (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing

  Familiarity information: OPERATIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OPERATIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person secretly employed in espionage for a government

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

intelligence agent; intelligence officer; operative; secret agent

Hypernyms ("operative" is a kind of...):

agent (a representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "operative"):

agent-in-place (an operative serving as a penetration into an intelligence target)

agent provocateur; provocateur (a secret agent who incites suspected persons to commit illegal acts)

bridge agent (an operative who acts as a courier or go-between from a case officer to a secret agent in a hostile area)

case officer (an operative who also serves as an official staffer of an intelligence service)

codetalker; windtalker (a secret agent who was one of the Navajos who devised and used a code based on their native language; the code was unbroken by the Japanese during World War II)

foot (a member of a surveillance team who works on foot or rides as a passenger)

NOC (an undercover agent who is given no official cover)

spy; undercover agent ((military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors)

walk-in (an operative who initiates his own defection (usually to a hostile country) for political asylum)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

operative; PI; private detective; private eye; private investigator; shamus; sherlock

Hypernyms ("operative" is a kind of...):

detective (an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "operative"):

hotel detective; house detective; house dick (a private detective employed by a hotel or retail store)

inquiry agent (a private detective)

store detective (a private detective employed by a merchant to stop pilferage)

• OPERATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Being in force or having or exerting force

Context example:

the major tendencies operative in the American political system

Similar:

operant (having influence or producing an effect)

effective; good; in effect; in force (exerting force or influence)

in operation; operating; operational (being in effect or operation)

working (serving to permit or facilitate further work or activity)

Antonym:

inoperative (not working or taking effect)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine

Synonyms:

operative; surgical

Context example:

operative dentistry

Similar:

preoperative (happening or done before and in preparation for a surgical operation)

postoperative (happening or done after a surgical operation)

Derivation:

operate (perform surgery on)

operation (a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Effective; producing a desired effect

Context example:

the operative word

Similar:

important; significant (important in effect or meaning)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing

Synonyms:

functional; operative; running; working

Context example:

a functional set of brakes

Similar:

functioning (performing or able to perform its regular function)

Derivation:

operate (handle and cause to function)

operate (perform as expected when applied)

 Context examples 

Detection of these proteins may be used to aid in the diagnosis or exclusion of thrombotic events or determine if a patient is at risk for post-operative hemorrhage.

(Fibrin Monomer, NCI Thesaurus)

Treatment includes local excision with consideration for post operative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

(Extraosseous Ewing Sarcoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A necrotic process affecting the post-operative stoma area in the gastrointestinal tract.

(Gastrointestinal Stoma Necrotic Lesion, NCI Thesaurus)

The uterus is not entirely emptied of products of conception following spontaneous, medical or operative pregnancy termination.

(Incomplete Abortion, NCI Thesaurus)

An operative procedure that does not involve the heart or the blood vessels.

(Non-Cardiovascular Surgery, NCI Thesaurus/ACC)

This month’s full moon in Taurus 20 degrees (operative plus or minus four days) will be tailor made for you.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

A non-profit organization that allows scientists and physicians participating in clinical bone marrow transplantation to share their experience and develop co-operative studies.

(European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, NCI Thesaurus)

In turn, hydrogel products can be applied to the prevention of thrombosis, post-operative adhesion formations, and as coatings for biosensors.

(Glycol Dimethacrylate, NCI Thesaurus)

A promising approach to post-operative incision-site pain control uses a naturally occurring plant molecule called resiniferatoxin (RTX).

(Chemical from cactus-like plant shows promise in controlling surgical pain, while leaving touch and coordination intact, National Institutes of Health)

Expulsion of all the products of conception following spontaneous, medical or operative pregnancy termination.

(Complete Abortion, NCI Thesaurus)