operative

Meanings

Plural: operatives

Noun

• a person secretly employed in espionage for a government
• someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information
• An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
• A spy, secret agent, or detective.
• A participant in an operation.

Adjective

• being in force or having or exerting force
  • "operative regulations"
  • "the major tendencies operative in the American political system"
• relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine
  • "operative dentistry"

Adjective Satellite

• effective; producing a desired effect
  • "the operative word"
• (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing

Adj

• Effectual or important.
• Functional, in working order.
• Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects.
• Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious.
• Based upon, or consisting of, a surgical operation or operations.

Synonyms

functional, intelligence agent, intelligence officer, PI, private detective, private eye, private investigator, running, secret agent, shamus, sherlock, surgical, working

Antonyms

inoperative, medical

Related Words

operand, operant, operate, operation, operational, operator

Anagrams of operative