Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “operational” come from?

Operational derives from English operation, from Old French operacion, from Latin operatio (a working or functioning), from Latin operor (to work), from Latin opus (work or labor), from Proto-Indo-European h₃ep-os-, ultimately from the root h₃ep-.

operational (English): Of or relating to operations, especially military...

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to operations, especially military...

Ancestry of “operational”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoperationThe method by which a device performs its...
2Middle Englishoperacioun—
3Old Frenchoperacionaction; act; operation
4Latinoperātiō—
5Latin-tiō—
6Latindissertātiō—
7Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
8Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “operational”

  • operationally
  • operationalize
  • operationalization
  • preoperational
  • operationalise
  • operationalism
  • nonoperational
  • operationality
  • operationalist
  • operationalizable
  • inoperational
  • operationalistic
  • preoperationally
  • operationalizability
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →