Operative - Definition

adj 1: being in force or having or exerting force; "operative
regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the
American political system" [ant: inoperative]
2: relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery
especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a
surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry" [syn: surgical,
operative] [ant: medical]
3: effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word"
4: (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in
running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes"
[syn: running(a), operative, functional, working(a)]
n 1: a person secretly employed in espionage for a government
[syn: secret agent, intelligence officer, intelligence
agent, operative]
2: someone who can be employed as a detective to collect
information [syn: private detective, PI, private eye,
private investigator, operative, shamus, sherlock]