operative

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: op=er=a=tive

CIDE DICTIONARY

operative, a. [Cf.L. operativus, F. opératif.].

•  Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive; operative laws.  [1913 Webster]

  "It holds in all operative principles."  [1913 Webster]
•  Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious; effective; as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty.  [1913 Webster]
•  Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or operations; as, operative surgery.  [1913 Webster]

operative, n. 

•  A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a machine in a mill or manufactory.  [1913 Webster]
•  One who acts as an agent of another, especially a detective or spy.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

operative, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 in operation; having effect.
2 having the principal relevance ('may' is the operative word).
3 of or by surgery.
4 Law expressing an intent to perform a transaction.
--n.
1 a worker, esp. a skilled one.
2 US a private detective.

Derivative

operatively adv. operativeness n.

Etymology

LL operativus f. L (as OPERATE)

THESAURUS

operative

Bow Street runner, CIA man, FBI, FBI agent, Federal, G-man, Secret Service, Sherlock Holmes, T-man, accessible, active, actor, agent, alive, architect, armipotent, artisan, author, authoritative, 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, fed, forceful, forcible, functional, functionary, functioning, 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, shamus, sleuth, spotter, spy, spy-catcher, steersman, store detective, striking, strong, subject, telling, treasury agent, undercover man, usable, valid, vigorous, vital, worker, workhand, working, workingman, workman

ROGET THESAURUS

operative

Agent

N doer, actor, agent, performer, perpetrator, operator, executor, executrix, practitioner, worker, stager, bee, ant, working bee, termite, white ant, laboring oar, servant of all work, factotum, workman, artisan, craftsman, handicraftsman, mechanic, operative, working man, laboring man, demiurgus, hewers of wood and drawers of water, laborer, navvy, hand, man, day laborer, journeyman, charwoman, hack, mere tool, beast of burden, drudge, fag, lumper, roustabout, maker, artificer, artist, wright, manufacturer, architect, builder, mason, bricklayer, smith, forger, Vulcan, carpenter, ganger, platelayer, blacksmith, locksmith, sailmaker, wheelwright, machinist, mechanician, engineer, sempstress, semstress, seamstress, needlewoman, workwoman, tailor, cordwainer, minister, servant, representative, coworker, party to, participator in, particeps criminis, dramatis personae, personnel, quorum pars magna fui, faber est quisque fortunae suae.

Agency

N agency, operation, force, working, strain, function, office, maintenance, exercise, work, swing, play, interworking, interaction, procurement, causation, instrumentality, influence, action, modus operandi, quickening power, maintaining power, sustaining power, home stroke, operative, efficient, efficacious, practical, effectual, at work, on foot, acting, in operation, in force, in action, in play, in exercise, acted upon, wrought upon, by the agency of through, by means of, I myself must mix with action lest I wither by des.