Other forms: operatives
An operative is a worker who operates a machine. A machine operative, factory operatives, a skilled operative.
It is the industrial term for a production worker and is chiefly used in manufacturing and in job advertisements. The other sense is a secret agent: a covert operative, an intelligence operative — which is chiefly American and thoroughly established in fiction. As an adjective, operative means in force — the regulations are operative from April — and the operative word is the one carrying the real meaning in a sentence.
1nounoperativeA worker who operates a machine.
“The operatives on the production line wear ear protection.”
2adjectiveforceIn force, or carrying the real meaning.
“Nearly is the operative word in that whole sentence.”
operative is a worker, or a state of force.
Latin operativus comes from operari, to work, from opus, a work. Opera, operate and cooperate are the same noun, so an operative is simply somebody working.
Latin
operātīvus
Middle French
operatif
Middle English
operative
English, today
operative
From Middle English operative, operatyfe, from Middle French operatif (modern French opératif) or its etymon Latin operātīvus. by surface analysis, operate + -ive.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA