operative
/ˈɒpəətɪv/AH-pur-uh-tiv
UK form converted from the US by rule · unchecked/ˈɑpɚətɪv/AH-pur-uh-tiv
Meaningtending to work
Common meaning: working or in force
Other meanings: a worker or secret agent
Tap a word part to explore
- operwork, a piece of workLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1267 · scan
- atverb or adjective ending: to make, having
- iveadjective ending: tending to
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from operate + -ive.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), OPERATE, p.404 · scan
Roots
- opus, operis Latin “work, a piece of work”
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