Where does “operative” come from?
operative (English) comes from Middle English operative, from Middle French operatif, from Latin operativus, from Latin operō, from Latin Opus, from Ancient Greek Ὀποῦς, from Ancient Greek ὀπός, from Proto-Indo-European sokʷós — to follow; to see; to say.
operative (English): Effectual or important; Functional, in working...
Definitions
- Effectual or important; Functional, in working...
Ancestry of “operative”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | operative | — |
| 2 | Middle French | operatif | — |
| 3 | Latin | operativus | creative, formative |
| 4 | Latin | operō | — |
| 5 | Latin | Opus | The capital city of the Locri and birthplace of Patroclus |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Ὀποῦς | Opus, Greece |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ὀπός | juice, vegetable/plant juice; fig-juice |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sokʷós | juice of plants |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |