Etymology

operate

op·er·ate
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Today it means: To perform a work or labour; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical; to act. Full definition →

Latin operātus ← Proto-Italic *opos ← Proto-Indo-European *h₃épos
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₃ep-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₃épos
  3. Proto-Italic*opos
  4. Latinopus
  5. Latinopera
  6. Latinoperātus
  7. English todayoperate

From Latin operātus, perfect passive participle of operor (“to work, labor, toil, have effect”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.