operator

American  

[op-uh-rey-ter] / ˈɒp əˌreɪ tər /

noun

• operators
  plural

1. a person who operates a machine, apparatus, or the like.

   a telegraph operator.

2. a person who operates a telephone switchboard, especially for a telephone company.

3. a person who manages a working or industrial establishment, enterprise, or system.

   the operators of a mine.

4. a person who trades in securities, especially speculatively or on a large scale.

5. a person who performs a surgical operation; a surgeon.

6. Mathematics.

   1. a symbol for expressing a mathematical operation.

   2. a function, especially one transforming a function, set, etc., into another.

      a differential operator.

7. Informal.

   1. a person who accomplishes goals or purposes by devious means; faker; fraud.

   2. a person who is adroit at overcoming, avoiding, or evading difficulties, regulations, or restrictions.

   3. a person who is extremely successful with or smoothly persuasive to potential sexual or romantic partners.

8. Genetics. a segment of DNA that interacts with a regulatory molecule, preventing transcription of the adjacent region.

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operator British  

/ ˈɒpəˌreɪtə /

noun

1. a person who operates a machine, instrument, etc, esp, a person who makes connections on a telephone switchboard or at an exchange

2. a person who owns or operates an industrial or commercial establishment

3. a speculator, esp one who operates on currency or stock markets

4. informal a person who manipulates affairs and other people

5. maths any symbol, term, letter, etc, used to indicate or express a specific operation or process, such as Δ (the differential operator)

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operator Scientific  

/ ŏp′ə-rā′tər /

1. Mathematics A function, especially one from a set to itself, such as differentiation of a differentiable function or rotation of a vector. In quantum mechanics, measurable quantities of a physical system, such as position and momentum, are related to unique operators applied to the wave equation describing the system.

2. A logical operator.

3. Genetics A segment of chromosomal DNA that regulates the activity of the structural genes of an operon by interacting with a specific repressor.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preoperator
  noun
• self-operator
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• operators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of operator

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin, equivalent to operā(rī) “to work, effect” ( see operate) + Latin -tor noun suffix ( see -tor)

Explanation

An operator is a person who runs a machine, equipment, or a vehicle. If you want to be a jackhammer operator some day, you might hope to work on a road crew of for a construction company. An operator operates, or controls, something. You could be a radio operator, a heavy machinery operator, or even a telephone operator — or you can be the operator, or manager, of a business. If you start your own dog walking company, you can call yourself an "owner-operator." The Latin root of both operator and operate is operari, "to work," and "to cause."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

operator operators

The boat's operator, a 46-year-old Manhattan resident, faces 13 counts of reckless endangerment, officials said.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

The operator of Craig yr Hesg, Heidelberg Materials UK, said it is confident in its safe operation and will continue to follow all regulatory requirements.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

He believes dividends could grow at a similar rate to those at pipeline operator APA.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

The building to be occupied by Innocean was completed in 1930 as a bus manufacturing plant for Pickwick Stage Co., a California operator that became part of Greyhound Lines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Still holding the laser tube in his direction, she crossed the room, picked up the vidphone, dialed the operator.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

A Boeing spokesperson said that the company has been working with aircraft operators over the past six years after identifying the issue on 737 New Generation airplanes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

The researchers also monitor to ensure satellite operators are complying with their licences and track foreign "adversaries".

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

The latest projection about the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann was given by Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald as she welcomed hospitality representatives and tour operators to the city.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

He has suggested a new model for the sector could emulate Greater Manchester's bus network, where private operators bid to run services on a franchise basis, with local authorities controlling fares, timetables and routes.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

To make matters worse, phone lines that should have allowed the emergency response team to communicate with the operators in the control rooms were down.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• agent
• broker
• dealer
• driver
• manager