operator

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin operatōr, from operor (work, labour). Equivalent to operate +‎ -or.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

operator (countable and uncountable, plural operators)

  1. One who operates.
  2. A telecommunications facilitator whose job is to establish temporary network connections.
  3. A member of a military special operations unit.
  4. (uncountable) The game of Chinese whispers.
  5. (informal) A person who is adept at making deals or getting results, especially one who uses questionable methods.
    • 1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 1:
      Francis Urquhart: I think Lord Billsborough is starting to lose touch a bit.
      Tim Stamper: Shame. Used to be a hell of an operator in his day.
  6. (mathematics) A function or other mapping that carries variables defined on a domain into another variable or set of variables in a defined range.
  7. (computing) The administrator of a channel or network on IRC.
  8. (computing) A symbol that represents a construct in a programming language and differs from a normal function in its syntax.
  9. (linguistics) A kind of expression that enters into an a-bar movement dependency and is said to bind a variable.
    In the sentence "What did Bill say he wants to buy?", "what" is an operator, binding a phonetically empty variable.
  10. (transport) A bus driver.
  11. (slang) A thief or charlatan.
    • 1709 January 11, Colley Cibber, “The Rival Fools: []”, in Mr. Cibber's Plays, volume II, London: [] B. Lintot [], published 1721, page 104:
      Sir Ol. Sirrah! I got many a round Sum by it, when my Father wou'd not give me a Groat—Then, Sir, I was in with all the Top Gameſters, and when there was a fat Squire to be fleec'd; I had my Office among them too, and tho' I ſay it, was one of the neateſt Operators about Town.
    • 2016, C. T. Collier, Planted, Scottsdale, A.Z.: Asdee Press, →ISBN, page 301:
      Hank was saying, "Lyssa showed me the screenshots of Nate's accounts, so we know he's helping himself to Nate's money every month. The guy's a real operator."
  12. (slang) A major criminal.
  13. (slang, dated) Someone who is successful at pursuing women; a player.
    • 1974, Earl Wilson, Show Business Laid Bare, New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN, page 188:
      I give credit to men who are great operators, as we once called them, with the girls. Once I was interviewing one of the most beautiful girls in the world in her suite at the Hotel Plaza. While she was busily denying to me that there was anything serious in her relationship with Warren Beatty, who should be barging into the next room of the suite with a lot of clothes being removed from another suite, but Warren Beatty?
    • 1988 [1977], Luciano De Crescenzo, translated by Avril Bardoni, Thus Spake Bellavista: Naples, Love, and Liberty, New York, N.Y.: Grove Press, →ISBN, page 101:
      "Of course you're right, but the Baron is unfortunately a bit of an operator, if you know what I mean. He likes the ladies," said Salvatore with a wicked grin. "So he never gets in until two, sometimes even three in the morning, and that's because he goes dancing at the Mela; he's quite a playboy."
    • 1996, George P. Pelecanos, The Big Blowdown, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 298:
      Anyway, there's gonna be plenty of girls. Plenty of girls for an operator like you.

Hyponyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Latin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

operor +‎ -tor.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

operātor m (genitive operātōris); third declension

  1. worker, operator

Declension[edit]

Third-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative operātor operātōrēs
Genitive operātōris operātōrum
Dative operātōrī operātōribus
Accusative operātōrem operātōrēs
Ablative operātōre operātōribus
Vocative operātor operātōrēs

Descendants[edit]

Verb[edit]

operātor

  1. second/third-person singular future active imperative of operor

References[edit]

Northern Kurdish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /oːpɛɾɑːˈtoːɾ/

Noun[edit]

operator ?

  1. surgeon
This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!

Polish[edit]

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pl

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French opérateur, from Latin operātor.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ɔ.pɛˈra.tɔr/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -atɔr
  • Syllabification: o‧pe‧ra‧tor

Noun[edit]

operator m pers (female equivalent operatorka)

  1. machinist, operator
  2. (medicine) surgeon
    Synonym: chirurg
  3. (cinematography) cameraman, cinematographer
  4. (telecommunications) operator (company providing operator services)

Declension[edit]

Noun[edit]

operator m inan

  1. (mathematics) operator
  2. (linguistics) operator

Declension[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

adjectives
noun

Further reading[edit]

  • operator in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • operator in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French opérateur or Latin operator. Equivalent to opera +‎ -tor.

Adjective[edit]

operator m or n (feminine singular operatoare, masculine plural operatori, feminine and neuter plural operatoare)

  1. operating

Declension[edit]

Noun[edit]

operator m (plural operatori)

  1. worker, operator

Declension[edit]

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /opěraːtor/
  • Hyphenation: o‧pe‧ra‧tor

Noun[edit]

opèrātor m (Cyrillic spelling опѐра̄тор)

  1. (mathematics) operator

Declension[edit]

Swedish[edit]

Noun[edit]

operator c

  1. (mathematics, computing) an operator

Declension[edit]

Declension of operator 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative operator operatorn operatorer operatorerna
Genitive operators operatorns operatorers operatorernas