operativenoun [ C ]
uk/ˈɒp.ər.ə.tɪv/us/ˈɑː.pɚ.ə.t̬ɪv/formal a worker, especially one who is skilled in working with their hands:
a factory operative
mainly US a person who works secretly for an organization:
a CIA operative
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Employees & colleagues
- acquihire
- appointee
- associate
- career woman
- co-worker
- colleague
- hire
- hireling
- homeworker
- incumbent
- mate
- new blood
- nominee
- payroll
- self-starter
- shadow
- staffer
- underling
- wage earner
- worker
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
International relations: spying and espionage
operativeadjective
uk/ˈɒp.ər.ə.tɪv/us/ˈɑː.pɚ.ə.t̬ɪv/formaloperative adjective (in use)
working or being used:
The agreement will not become operative until all members have signed.
Opposite
inoperative
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Machines - Functioning
- asthmatically
- faulty
- fire sth up
- function as sth/sb
- functionally
- operation
- operational
- order
- pack
- pack up
- peg
- perform
- play up
- right
- roll
- start
- start (sth) up
- tick
- torpor
- work
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operative adjective (medical)
specialized medical relating to a medical operation:
an operative technique
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Medical treatment: surgery
- ablate
- adrenalectomy
- anaesthesiology
- anastomose
- anesthesiology
- circumcise
- collagen
- eviscerate
- facelift
- frontal lobotomy
- implant
- keyhole surgery
- laminectomy
- laparoscopic
- laparoscopy
- laparotomy
- ligation
- nose job
- pump out sth
- transplant
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Idiom(s)
the operative word