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operative

Etymology and origin of the English word operative

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
late 15th century
Borrowed from
Middle French opératif
Ultimate origin
Latin (opus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈɒpəɹətɪv/, /ˈɒpɹətɪv/ (UK); /ˈɑpəɹətɪv/, /ˈɑpɹətɪv/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French opératif and directly Medieval Latin operātīvus (“creative, formative”),[2][3][4] from the past participle stem of Latin operor (“to work”) (see operation and operate),[2][3] from opus (“work”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Active, working: the late 15th century in Etymonline, the 15th century in Merriam-Webster.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Producing the intended effect is from the 1590s (1598 in the OED),[2][5] and concerned with manual or practical work from 1624.[5] Relating to surgical operations is from 1783.[5] Of words, containing the key point, as the operative word, is from 1926.[5] The noun, a worker or artisan, is from 1809,[2] and a secret agent from 1930, probably from the Pinkerton agency's use of it for its private detectives (1905).[2]

Timeline

  • late 15th century – active, working.[2]
  • 1598 – effective.[5]
  • 1783 – of surgery.[5]
  • 1809 – a worker (noun).[2]
  • 1930 – a secret agent.[2]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. In force or in operation; functioning.
  2. Most important or significant: the operative word.
  3. Relating to surgical operations.

Noun

  1. A skilled worker, especially in industry.
  2. A secret agent or spy; a private detective.

Word family

  • operatively
  • operativeness
  • cooperative
  • interoperative
  • perioperative
  • unoperative
  • preoperative
  • postoperative

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Operative.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/operative. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·