Definition: operative

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

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

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Operative \Op"er*a*tive\, a. [Cf.L. operativus, F. op['e]ratif.]
   1. Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force,
      physical or moral; active in the production of effects;
      as, an operative motive.

            It holds in all operative principles. --South.

   2. Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious;
      as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty.

   3. (Surg.) Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or
      operations; as, operative surgery.
Operative \Op"er*a*tive\, n.
   A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a
   machine in a mill or manufactory.