operator

American  

[op-uh-rey-ter] / ˈɒp əˌreɪ tər /

noun

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

• preoperator noun
• self-operator noun

Etymology

Origin of operator

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

Top holdings include Hyundai Elevator; Spanish telecom operator Telefónica; and oil and gas conglomerate OMV.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

It’s the absolute goal of every resort operator to satisfy that hankering.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

The ship's operator, MSC, confirmed the vessel was involved in the incident but declined to provide additional information.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

“The submarine cable industry goes to great lengths to protect cables, provide resilient networks and minimize disruptions,” said Dean Veverka, the committee chairman and chief technology officer at cable operator Southern Cross.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

“The operator has to pick a starting position for the rotors. Three random letters. Suppose he simply uses the letters that happen to be showing in these little windows? H-W-B.”

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• agent
• broker
• dealer
• driver
• manager