operative
gb/ˈɑpɚɪtɪv/ us/ˈɑpɚɪtɪv/
B2
Kiingereza
~ 7400
Maana
maana 0
adjective
B2
property
1
working and able to be used
Working and ready to be used.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] is operative
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes use "operative" instead of the more common "working" in everyday conversation. In casual speech, it is more natural to say "The machine is working" than "The machine is operative," which sounds more formal or technical.
Visawe
functional (Often used for machines or systems that work as designed; slightly more technical.)
|
working (More informal and general; can describe anything that works, not just systems or rules.)
Vinyume
inoperative (More formal and technical; stresses that something cannot operate or is not in effect.)
|
out of order (Common informal phrase for machines that are broken or not working.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
fully operative
|become operative
|remain operative
|system is operative
|make [something] operative
|not yet operative
Mada
technology
|business
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The new security system is now fully operative.
- Only two of the four elevators are currently operative.
- The app is installed but not yet operative on older phones.
- Once the funding is approved, the program will be operative within six months.
- Emergency generators remained operative throughout the power outage.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The machine is operative again.
- All doors must be operative in an emergency.
- The website is not operative today.
- When the lights are operative, the shop can open.
- The hospital became operative in 2020.
unknown
C1
entity
2
secret agent or covert worker
A person who secretly works for a government or group to get information or do special jobs.
Muundo wa matumizi:
an operative in [organization]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes think "operative" always means a factory worker. In news and films, "operative" much more often means a secret or undercover agent working for a government or organization.
Visawe
agent (More common and general; can be secret or public, and is used in many fields, not only intelligence.)
|
operative (Often suggests covert, on-the-ground action, sometimes more hands-on than a general "agent.")
Vinyume
civilian (Highlights someone who is not part of the security, military, or intelligence services.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
CIA operative
|undercover operative
|intelligence operative
|field operative
|covert operative
|senior operative
Mada
security
|crime
|politics
|law
Mifano
- The journalist claimed to have spoken with a former CIA operative.
- Several undercover operatives were sent into the region to gather information.
- An intelligence operative warned that the threat was being underestimated.
- The agency pulled its operatives out of the country after the attack.
- As a field operative, she often had to make split-second decisions.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The movie is about a CIA operative.
- An undercover operative entered the gang.
- Police operatives watched the house for three days.
- The secret operative used a false name.
- Many operatives work in other countries.
Nomino
C1
entity
3
political worker or strategist
Someone who works for a political party or campaign, usually planning and organizing, not as a public leader.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a [party/campaign] operative
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may confuse "political operative" with elected officials like "senator" or "mayor." An operative is usually a worker or strategist, not the public face or main leader.
Visawe
strategist (Focuses more on planning and strategy; not all operatives are high-level strategists.)
|
party worker (More informal and descriptive; lacks the slightly secretive or professional tone of "operative.")
Vinyume
independent voter (Someone not formally working for or aligned with a specific party organization.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
political operative
|party operative
|campaign operative
|senior operative
|longtime operative
|backroom operative
Mada
politics
|business
|communication
Mifano
- Seasoned political operatives helped shape the candidate’s message.
- Party operatives worked late into the night to get out the vote.
- A senior campaign operative denied the allegations.
- Behind every successful candidate is a team of skilled operatives.
- The report quoted anonymous operatives from both major parties.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- Many political operatives work behind the scenes.
- A party operative planned the event.
- Campaign operatives called thousands of voters.
- The article spoke with a senior operative in the party.
- Operatives tried to control the news story.
Nomino
C2
entity
4
factory or machine worker
A worker in a factory or plant who uses machines or does simple jobs by hand.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a [factory/machine] operative
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may overuse this word for any worker. In modern English, "operative" in this sense is mainly used in formal job titles or industrial contexts; in everyday speech, people more often say "worker" or "employee."
Visawe
worker (Very general; does not suggest factory or machine work specifically.)
|
operator (Often more specific to someone who operates particular machines or equipment.)
Vinyume
manager (Represents supervisory or administrative staff rather than manual or shop-floor workers.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
factory operative
|machine operative
|production operative
|shop-floor operative
|skilled operative
|assembly-line operative
Mada
work
|industry
|business
|technology
Mifano
- The company employs over 200 factory operatives at its main plant.
- Machine operatives must complete safety training before starting work.
- The firm is hiring additional production operatives for the night shift.
- As a skilled operative, she is responsible for maintaining the equipment.
- Shop-floor operatives raised concerns about the new schedule.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- He works as a factory operative.
- The plant needs more production operatives.
- Each machine operative wears safety clothing.
- Many operatives lost their jobs last year.
- The manager spoke with the operatives on the floor.
adjective
formal
C1
property
5
having force or effect
Having real effect or power, especially when talking about laws, rules, or words that really matter in a situation.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[clause/rule/word] is operative
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the more general meaning "working." In formal writing, "operative" about clauses or words means they have real effect or are the ones that matter, not that they are physically working.
Visawe
effective (Common in legal and official language for rules or dates that are in force.)
|
binding (Highlights that something must be obeyed; not all operative clauses are necessarily binding in the same way.)
Vinyume
void (Legal term meaning that something has no legal effect.)
|
inoperative (Points out that a rule or clause no longer has effect or is not applied.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
operative clause
|operative provisions
|become operative
|remain operative
|operative word
|operative date
Mada
law
|business
Mifano
- The operative clause of the contract is found in section 3.
- These regulations are not yet operative and will take effect next year.
- In this sentence, the operative word is "may," which suggests discretion.
- The court ruled that the older statute was no longer operative.
- Only the provisions listed in Schedule A are operative in this case.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The law is now operative.
- This rule is not operative today.
- The operative date is 1 July.
- Here the operative word is "must."
- Only some parts of the agreement are operative.
adjective
technical
C2
property
6
relating to surgery
About a medical operation, or the time before, during, or after it.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[operative] + [care/findings/risk/procedure]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may not realize that "operative" in medical texts is closely tied to the word "operation" and is usually used with other medical terms like "care," "risk," or "findings." It is not used for everyday "working" in this context.
Visawe
surgical (More common general term in medicine for anything related to surgery.)
Vinyume
non-operative (Used in medicine to describe treatment that does not involve surgery.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
operative care
|operative findings
|operative risk
|pre-operative period
|post-operative complications
|operative procedure
Mada
medicine
|science
|health
|body
Mifano
- The patient experienced several post-operative complications.
- Pre-operative assessment is essential to reduce risk.
- Operative findings confirmed the initial diagnosis.
- Good post-operative care can shorten hospital stays.
- The report focused on operative techniques for heart surgery.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- She had post-operative pain after the surgery.
- Pre-operative tests are done before an operation.
- The doctor wrote a note about the operative findings.
- Post-operative care is very important.
- The team talked about operative risks with the patient.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
operative
IPA
GB/ˈɑpɚɪtɪv/
US/ˈɑpɚɪtɪv/
Silabi na mkazo
op - er - at - ive (silabi 4)
Stress on 1st syllable (op)
Maumbo ya neno
Adjective
- Base: operative
Noun
- Base: operative
- Plural: operatives
Familia ya neno
Forms
operatives
noun
Related words
operational
adjective B1
operable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
inoperative
adjective
nonoperational
adjective
inoperable
adjective
Advanced or less common
operationally
adverb
Semi
the operative word is
1/ðə ˈɑpɚɪtɪv wˈɚd ˈɪz/
fixed phrase
identify the most important word
Used to point to the one word in a sentence that is most important for the meaning in this situation.
Mifano
- In the phrase "I might help," the operative word is "might."
- When I said we would "try" to fix it, the operative word is "try."
- He promised to "consider" your idea; the operative word is "consider."