adj. & n.
adj. 1 in operation; having effect. 2 having the principal relevance ('may' is the operative word). 3 of or by surgery. 4 Law expressing an intent to perform a transaction.
n. 1 a worker, esp. a skilled one. 2 US a private detective. operatively adv. operativeness n.
[ LL operativus f. L (as OPERATE) ]