operation

[ op-uh-rey-shuhn ]

/ ˌɒp əˈreɪ ʃən /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: operation / operations on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

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.

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.

QUIZ

GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!

Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.

Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of operation

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; see origin at operate

OTHER WORDS FROM operation

mis·op·er·a·tion, nounpre·op·er·a·tion, nounre·op·er·a·tion, nounsub·op·er·a·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

British Dictionary definitions for operation

operation

/ (ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən) /

noun

the act, process, or manner of operating

the state of being in effect, in action, or operative (esp in the phrases in or into operation)

a process, method, or series of acts, esp of a practical or mechanical nature

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

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
a function from a set onto itself

a commercial or financial transaction

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for operation

operation

[ ŏp′ə-rā′shən ]

A surgical procedure, usually using instruments, for remedying an injury, ailment, defect, or dysfunction.

The act, manner, or process of functioning.

Scientific definitions for operation

operation

[ ŏp′ə-rā′shən ]

Medicine A surgical procedure for remedying an injury, ailment, defect, or dysfunction.

Mathematics A 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 Science An action resulting from a single instruction.

operation

Origin of operation

OTHER WORDS FROM operation

Words related to operation

British Dictionary definitions for operation

Medical definitions for operation

Scientific definitions for operation