Where does “retro-operative” come from?
retro-operative (English) comes from English operative, 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 — to follow; to see; to say.
retro-operative (English): retrospective in effect
Ancestry of “retro-operative”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | operative | Effectual or important; Functional, in working... |
| 2 | Middle English | operative | — |
| 3 | Middle French | operatif | — |
| 4 | Latin | operativus | creative, formative |
| 5 | Latin | operō | — |
| 6 | Latin | Opus | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Ὀποῦς | — |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | ὀπός | juice, vegetable/plant juice; fig-juice |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sokʷós | juice of plants |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |