operators
|op-er-a-tor|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑːpəreɪtər/
🇬🇧
/ˈɒpəreɪtə/
(operator)
one who operates
Etymology
'operator' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'operator', where the root 'oper-' meant 'work' (from 'opus') and the suffix '-ator' indicated an agent.
'operator' passed through Medieval Latin as 'operator' and later entered English from Old French/Latin-derived forms to become the modern English 'operator'.
Initially it referred broadly to 'one who works' or 'one who performs a task'; over time it narrowed and specialized to mean 'one who operates a machine, system, or service' and extended to technical senses like 'mathematical operator'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who operates machinery or equipment.
The operators inspected the conveyor belt before the shift began.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a person who runs or manages a business, service, or facility.
The park operators decided to close the rides due to the storm.
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Noun 3
a person who handles telephone calls or provides customer-service support (call-centre worker).
Customer service operators answered the callers' questions promptly.
Synonyms
Noun 4
in mathematics and computing: a symbol or function that performs an operation on values (operands).
In many languages, arithmetic operators include +, -, *, and /; programmers must be careful how operators are applied.
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Noun 5
informal: a specially trained member of a military or tactical unit (special-operations operator).
The operators completed their mission with minimal casualties.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2025/09/23 02:16