an act or instance, process, or manner of functioning or operating.
the state of being operative (usually preceded by in or into): a rule no longer in operation.
the power to act; efficacy, influence, or force.
the exertion of force, power, or influence; agency: the operation of alcohol on the mind.
a process of a practical or mechanical nature in some form of work or production: a delicate operation in watchmaking.
a course or procedure of productive or industrial activity: building operations.
a particular process or course: mental operations.
a business transaction, especially one of a speculative nature; deal: a shady operation.
a business, especially one run on a large scale: a multinational operation.
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.
Mathematics.
a mathematical process, as addition, multiplication, or differentiation.
the action of applying a mathematical process to a quantity or quantities.
Military.
a campaign, mission, maneuver, or action.
Usually operations.the conduct of a campaign, mission, etc.
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.
operations,the people who work at such a headquarters.
Origin of operation
1350–1400;Middle Englishoperacioun < Latinoperātiōn- (stem of operātiō), equivalent to operāt(us) (see operate) + -iōn--ion
Related formsmis·op·er·a·tion, nounpre·op·er·a·tion, nounre·op·er·a·tion, nounsub·op·er·a·tion, noun
the state of being in effect, in action, or operative (esp in the phrases inorinto operation)
a process, method, or series of acts, esp of a practical or mechanical nature
surgeryany manipulation of the body or one of its organs or parts to repair damage, arrest the progress of a disease, remove foreign matter, etc
a military or naval action, such as a campaign, manoeuvre, etc
(capital and prenominal when part of a name)Operation Crossbow
maths
any procedure, such as addition, multiplication, involution, or differentiation, in which one or more numbers or quantities are operated upon according to specific rules
late 14c., "action, performance, work," also "the performance of some science or art," from Old French operacion "operation, working, proceedings," from Latin operationem (nominative operatio) "a working, operation," from past participle stem of operari "to work, labor" (in Late Latin "to have effect, be active, cause"), from opera "work, effort," related to opus (genitive operis) "a work" (see opus). The surgical sense is first attested 1590s. Military sense of "series of movements and acts" is from 1749.
MedicineA surgical procedure for remedying an injury, ailment, defect, or dysfunction.
MathematicsA process or action, such as addition, substitution, transposition, or differentiation, performed in a specified sequence and in accordance with specific rules.
A logical operation.
Computer ScienceAn action resulting from a single instruction.
