Meanings
nounoperation (countable and uncountable, plural operations)
plural operations
- uncountableThe act or process of operating (verb): agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral.
Speculative painting, without the assistance of manual operation, can never attain to perfection.
1695, C[harles] A[lphonse] du Fresnoy, translated by John Dryden, De Arte Graphica. The Art of Painting, […], London: […] J[ohn] Heptinstall for W. Rogers, […], →OCLC1 more example
the pain and sickness caused by manna are confessedly nothing but the effects of its operations on the stomach and guts.
1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 8Synonyms: operating
- countableA planned undertaking.
The Katrina relief operation was considered botched.
1 more example
The police ran an operation to get vagrants off the streets.
- countableA business or organization.
We run our operation from a storefront.
1 more example
They run a multinational produce-supply operation.
- countablemedicineA surgical procedure.
She had an operation to remove her appendix.
1 more example
This done, ſhe performs the very ſame Operation on the other Side of the Cock's Body, and there takes out the other Stone; then ſhe ſtitches up the Wounds, and lets the Fowl go about as at other Times, till the Capon is fatted in a Coup, which is commonly done from Chriſtmas to Candlemas, and after.
1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion […] , London: James Hodges; B. Collins, →OCLC, page 157 - countablecomputingA procedure for generating a value from one or more other values (the operands).
The number of operands associated with an operation is called its arity; an operation of arity 2 is called a binary operation.
Synonyms: function, transformation
- countablemore formallycomputingA function which maps zero or more (but typically two) operands to a single output value.
Synonyms: function, transformation
- countableobsoleteEffect produced; influence.
The bards […] had great operation on the vulgar.
1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI)
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act or process of operating (verb): agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral.
Similar
nounA procedure for generating a value from one or more other values (the operands).
Similar
nounA function which maps zero or more (but typically two) operands to a single output value.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
nounactivity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign)
Similar
military operation
Broader
nouna medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body
Similar
Broader
medical procedure
nouna process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work
Similar
Broader
noun(psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents
Similar
noun(mathematics) calculation by mathematical methods
Similar
mathematical processmathematical operation
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃ep-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃épos
- Proto-Italic*opos
- Latinopus
- Latinopera
- Latinoperātusbf.
- Latinoperor
- Latinoperātiō
- Old Frenchoperacion
- Middle Englishoperacioun
- Englishoperation
From Middle English operacioun, from Old French operacion, from Latin operātiō, from the verb operor (“to work”), from opus, operis (“work”). Equivalent to operate + -ion.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans operasie
- operasiemethod by which a device performs its function
Arabic عَمَلِيَّة, عَمَل
- عَمَلِيَّة (ʕamaliyya)method by which a device performs its function
- عَمَل (ʕamal)method by which a device performs its function
- عَمَلِيَّة جِرَاحِيَّة (ʕamaliyya jirāḥiyya)surgical procedure
- جِرَاحَة (jirāḥa)surgical procedure
- عَمَلِيَّة (ʕamaliyya)surgical procedure
- عَمَلِيَّات (ʕamaliyyāt)military campaign
- عَمَلِيَّة (ʕamaliyya)military campaign
- عَمَلِيَّة (ʕamaliyya)procedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Basque operazio
- operaziosurgical procedure
Bengali অস্ত্রোপচার, অভিযান
- অস্ত্রোপচার (ostrōpcar)surgical procedure
- অভিযান (obhijan)military campaign
Bulgarian де́йствие, опера́ция
- де́йствие (déjstvie)method by which a device performs its function
- опера́ция (operácija)a planned undertaking
- опера́ция (operácija)surgical procedure
- опера́ция (operácija)military campaign
- опера́ция (operácija)procedure for generating a value from one or more other values
- де́йствие (déjstvie)procedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Catalan operació, operació
- operaciómethod by which a device performs its function
- operaciómethod or practice by which actions are done
- operaciósurgical procedure
- operacióprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Chinese Mandarin 運營 /运营, 操作
- 運營 /运营 (yùnyíng)method by which a device performs its function
- 操作 (cāozuò)method by which a device performs its function
- 手術 /手术 (shǒushù)surgical procedure
- 作戰 /作战 (zuòzhàn)military campaign
- 行動 /行动 (xíngdòng)military campaign
Czech provoz, postup
- provozmethod by which a device performs its function
- postupmethod or practice by which actions are done
- operacea planned undertaking
- operacesurgical procedure
- operacemilitary campaign
- postupprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Danish operation, operation
- operationsurgical procedure
- operationmilitary campaign
Dutch operatie, operatie
- operatiemethod by which a device performs its function
- operatiesurgical procedure
- operatiemilitary campaign
Esperanto operacio, operaco
- operaciosurgical procedure
- operacomilitary campaign
- operacioprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Estonian toiming, toiming
- toimingmethod by which a device performs its function
- toimingmethod or practice by which actions are done
- lõikussurgical procedure
- operatsioonsurgical procedure
- operatsioonmilitary campaign
Finnish toiminta, toiminta
- toimintamethod by which a device performs its function
- toimintamethod or practice by which actions are done
- leikkaussurgical procedure
- operaatiosurgical procedure
- operaatiomilitary campaign
- laskutoimitusprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
- operaatioprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
French opération, fonctionnement
- opérationmethod by which a device performs its function
- fonctionnementmethod by which a device performs its function
- exploitationmethod by which a device performs its function
- opérationmethod or practice by which actions are done
- gestionthe act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral
- opérationa planned undertaking
- opérationsurgical procedure
- opérationmilitary campaign
- opérationprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
German Betrieb, Betrieb
- Betriebmethod by which a device performs its function
- Betriebmethod or practice by which actions are done
- Operationa planned undertaking
- Operationsurgical procedure
- Aktionmilitary campaign
- Operationmilitary campaign
- Unternehmenmilitary campaign
- Operationprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
- Verknüpfungprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Greek λειτουργία, εγχείρηση
- λειτουργία (leitourgía)method by which a device performs its function
- εγχείρηση (encheírisi)surgical procedure
- επιχείρηση (epicheírisi)military campaign
- πράξη (práxi)procedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Hebrew ניתוח, נִתּוּחַ
- ניתוחsurgical procedure
- נִתּוּחַ (nitúakh)surgical procedure
- מִבְצָע (mivtsá)military campaign
Hindi अभियान
- अभियान (abhiyān)military campaign
Hungarian működés, üzemelés
- működésmethod by which a device performs its function
- üzemelésmethod by which a device performs its function
- működtetésmethod by which a device performs its function
- üzemeltetésmethod by which a device performs its function
- eljárásmethod or practice by which actions are done
- tevékenységthe act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral
- műveleta planned undertaking
- céga business or organization
- vállalata business or organization
- szervezeta business or organization
- operációsurgical procedure
- műtétsurgical procedure
Icelandic starf, vinnsla
- starfmethod by which a device performs its function
- vinnslamethod by which a device performs its function
- starfsemimethod or practice by which actions are done
- starfrækslamethod or practice by which actions are done
- reksturmethod or practice by which actions are done
- framkvæmdmethod or practice by which actions are done
- aðgerðsurgical procedure
- uppskurðursurgical procedure
- skurðaðgerðsurgical procedure
- aðgerðmilitary campaign
- hernaðaraðgerðmilitary campaign
- aðgerðprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Indonesian operasi, pembedahan
- operasisurgical procedure
- pembedahansurgical procedure
- operasimilitary campaign
Irish oibriú, oibriúchán
- oibriúmethod by which a device performs its function
- oibriúchánmethod by which a device performs its function
- obráidsurgical procedure
- oibríochtmilitary campaign
- oibríochtprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Italian operazione, operazione
- operazionemethod by which a device performs its function
- operazionemethod or practice by which actions are done
- eserciziothe act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral
- gestionethe act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral
- operazionea planned undertaking
- operazionesurgical procedure
- operazionemilitary campaign
- operazioneprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Japanese 作業, 操作
- 作業 (sagyō)method by which a device performs its function
- 操作 (sōsa)method by which a device performs its function
- 手術 (shujutsu)surgical procedure
- オペレーション (operēshon)surgical procedure
- オペ (ope)surgical procedure
- 作戦 (sakusen)military campaign
- 演算 (enzan)procedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Korean 작용, 수술
- 작용 (jagyong)method by which a device performs its function
- 수술 (susul)surgical procedure
- 작전 (jakjeon)military campaign
Latvian operācija, operācija
- operācijamethod or practice by which actions are done
- operācijasurgical procedure
- operācijamilitary campaign
- operācijaprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Lithuanian operacija, operacija
- operacijasurgical procedure
- operacijamilitary campaign
Malay operasi, operasi
- operasisurgical procedure
- operasimilitary campaign
Māori tapahanga, pokanga
- tapahangasurgical procedure
- pokangasurgical procedure
- hāparaparasurgical procedure
- pahekoprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Norwegian Bokmål operasjon, operasjon
- operasjonsurgical procedure
- operasjonmilitary campaign
- felttogmilitary campaign
- hærtogmilitary campaign
Polish działanie, funkcjonowanie
- działaniemethod by which a device performs its function
- funkcjonowaniemethod by which a device performs its function
- operacjaa planned undertaking
- operacjasurgical procedure
- operacjamilitary campaign
- działaniamilitary campaign
- operacjaprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Portuguese operação, funcionamento
- operaçãomethod by which a device performs its function
- funcionamentomethod or practice by which actions are done
- operaçãosurgical procedure
- cirurgiasurgical procedure
- operaçãomilitary campaign
- operaçãoprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Romanian operație, operațiune
- operațiemethod by which a device performs its function
- operațiunemethod by which a device performs its function
- operaremethod by which a device performs its function
- operațiemethod or practice by which actions are done
- operațiesurgical procedure
- operațiemilitary campaign
Russian де́йствие, опера́ция
- де́йствие (déjstvije)method by which a device performs its function
- опера́ция (operácija)a planned undertaking
- опера́ция (operácija)surgical procedure
- опера́ция (operácija)military campaign
- опера́ция (operácija)procedure for generating a value from one or more other values
- де́йствие (déjstvije)procedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Scottish Gaelic opairèisean
- opairèiseansurgical procedure
Slovak operácia, operácia
- operáciaa planned undertaking
- operáciasurgical procedure
- operáciamilitary campaign
Spanish operación, operación
- operaciónmethod by which a device performs its function
- operaciónsurgical procedure
- operaciónmilitary campaign
- operaciónprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Swahili operesheni, operesheni
- opereshenimethod by which a device performs its function
- opereshenimethod or practice by which actions are done
- opereshenia planned undertaking
- opereshenisurgical procedure
- upasuajisurgical procedure
- opereshenimilitary campaign
- operesheniprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Swedish operation, operation
- operationmethod by which a device performs its function
- operationsurgical procedure
- operationmilitary campaign
Tagalog sakilos, operasyon
- sakilosmethod by which a device performs its function
- operasyonmethod by which a device performs its function
- sakilosmethod or practice by which actions are done
- operasyonsurgical procedure
- operasyonmilitary campaign
Tamil இயக்கம், இயக்கம்
- இயக்கம் (iyakkam)method by which a device performs its function
- இயக்கம் (iyakkam)the act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral
- இயக்கம் (iyakkam)a business or organization
- அறுவை சிகிச்சை (aṟuvai cikiccai)surgical procedure
Thai ศัลยกรรม, ยุทธการ
- ศัลยกรรม (sǎn-yá-gam)surgical procedure
- ยุทธการ (yút-tá-gaan)military campaign
- ปฏิบัติการ (bpà-dtì-bàt-gaan)military campaign
Turkish çalışma, çalışma
- çalışmamethod by which a device performs its function
- çalışmamethod or practice by which actions are done
- işleyişmethod or practice by which actions are done
- ameliyatsurgical procedure
- cerrahî müdahalesurgical procedure
- operasyonsurgical procedure
- harekâtmilitary campaign
- operasyonmilitary campaign
- işlemprocedure for generating a value from one or more other values
Ukrainian ді́я, ді́яння
- ді́я (díja)method by which a device performs its function
- ді́яння (díjannja)method by which a device performs its function
- опера́ція (operácija)a planned undertaking
- опера́ція (operácija)surgical procedure
- опера́ція (operácija)military campaign
Urdu عَمَلِ جَرَّاحی, جَرَّاحی
- عَمَلِ جَرَّاحی ('amal-i jarrāhī)surgical procedure
- جَرَّاحی (jarrāhī)surgical procedure
- جَرَّاحَت (jarrāhat)surgical procedure
- کَار رَوائی (kār ravāī)military campaign
- عَمَلِیَّہ ('amaliyya)military campaign
Vietnamese hoạt động, phẫu thuật
- hoạt độngmethod by which a device performs its function
- phẫu thuậtsurgical procedure
Welsh gweithrediad, gweithrediad
- gweithrediadmethod by which a device performs its function
- gweithrediadmethod or practice by which actions are done
- llawdriniaethsurgical procedure
- ymgyrchmilitary campaign
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with operation
informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnationdocumentation
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
operation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operation
MLA
“operation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “operation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operation.
Source: operation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.