operation

[ op-uh-rey-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance, process, or manner of functioning or operating.
2. the state of being operative (usually preceded by in or into ):

   a rule no longer in operation.

3. the power to act; efficacy, influence, or force.
4. the exertion of force, power, or influence; agency:

   the operation of alcohol on the mind.

5. a process of a practical or mechanical nature in some form of work or production:

   a delicate operation in watchmaking.

6. a course or procedure of productive or industrial activity:

   building operations.

7. a particular process or course:

   mental operations.

8. a business transaction, especially one of a speculative nature; deal:

   a shady operation.

9. a business, especially one run on a large scale:

   a multinational operation.

10. Surgery. a procedure aimed at restoring or improving the health of a patient, as by correcting a malformation, removing diseased parts, implanting new parts, etc.
11. Mathematics.
    1. a mathematical process, as addition, multiplication, or differentiation.
    2. the action of applying a mathematical process to a quantity or quantities.
12. Computers. any discrete activity or action that is performed by a computer, as reading, writing, processing, sending, or receiving data:

    The http request operation has timed out.

13. Military.
    1. a campaign, mission, maneuver, or action.
    2. Usually operations. the conduct of a campaign, mission, etc.
    3. operations, a headquarters, office, or place from which a military campaign, air traffic to and from an airfield, or any of various other activities, is planned, conducted, and controlled.
    4. operations, the people who work at such a headquarters.

operation

/ ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act, process, or manner of operating
2. the state of being in effect, in action, or operative (esp in the phrases in or into operation )
3. a process, method, or series of acts, esp of a practical or mechanical nature
4. surgery any manipulation of the body or one of its organs or parts to repair damage, arrest the progress of a disease, remove foreign matter, etc
5. 1. a military or naval action, such as a campaign, manoeuvre, etc
   2. ( capital and prenominal when part of a name )

      Operation Crossbow

6. maths
   1. any procedure, such as addition, multiplication, involution, or differentiation, in which one or more numbers or quantities are operated upon according to specific rules
   2. a function from a set onto itself
7. a commercial or financial transaction

operation

/ ŏp′ə-rā′shən /

1. Medicine.
   A surgical procedure for remedying an injury, ailment, defect, or dysfunction.
2. Mathematics.
   A process or action, such as addition, substitution, transposition, or differentiation, performed in a specified sequence and in accordance with specific rules.
3. A logical operation.
4. Computer Science.
   An action resulting from a single instruction.

Other Words From

• mis·op·er·a·tion noun
• pre·op·er·a·tion noun
• re·op·er·a·tion noun
• sub·op·er·a·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of operation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English operacioun, oparacion, operation, from Latin operātiōn- (stem of operātiō ), equivalent to operāt(us) + -iōn- noun suffix of action or condition; operate

Example Sentences

Canix is designed for commercial operations that have a cannabis license.

From TechCrunch

It was only in 2018 that Spotify and Deezer launched operations in North Africa, within months of each other.

From Ozy

Amazon Prime, which didn’t evolve from a brick-and-mortar operation, isn’t comparable here.

From Fortune

This places more traction on the drill and helps with the operation of the kit.

From Popular-Science

Brands have embraced more experimental approaches, and built flexibility into their operations.

From Digiday

But they say its effect on the regular daily operation of organized crime has been negligible.

From The Daily Beast

Their leader, Njie, still going by “Dave” during the operation, would stay a safe distance away until the State House was secure.

From The Daily Beast

American lawmakers were quick to praise the military operation.

From The Daily Beast

The campaign was known to palace insiders as “Operation Mrs. PB.”

From The Daily Beast

As night fell, the rescue operation slowed and sea conditions worsened.

From The Daily Beast

This system had been in full operation in both districts prior to the general application of the voluntary system.

From Project Gutenberg

The act, however, is a progressive piece of legislation and creates new conditions as the result of its own operation.

From Project Gutenberg

After the Reserve Banks have been in operation long enough to be running smoothly, not a few branches will doubtless be organized.

From Project Gutenberg

The intellect might be abolished so far as its participation in such an operation is concerned.

From Project Gutenberg

And the Process or Method of study, if it be an Assimilating one, also compels this co-operation.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• action
• activity
• affair
• agency
• application
• deal
• effort
• enterprise
• exercise
• force
• movement
• procedure
• process
• service
• transaction
• trip
• use
• work