Meanings
comparative more operational · superlative most operational
- Of or relating to operations, especially military operations.
1 more example
Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today.
2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 70 - Functioning and ready for use.
Despite somewhat faded paintwork, 87017 Iron Duke is clearly very much operational, as confirmed here on September 4.
2022 December 14, “News in pictures: Class 87 soldiers on in Bulgaria”, in RAIL, number 972, page 26, photo caption1 more example
Princess Leia, before your execution, you will join me at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now.
1977, George Lucas, Governor Tarkin, Star Wars - Determined by means of practical measures.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivefit or ready for use or service
adjective(military) of or intended for or involved in military operations
adjectivebeing in effect or 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
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishoperational
Translations
Bulgarian оперативен, работещ
- оперативен (operativen)of or relating to operations, especially military operations
- работещ (rabotešt)functioning and ready for use
- функциониращ (funkcionirašt)functioning and ready for use
- действащ (dejstvašt)effective or operative
Catalan operatiu, operatiu
- operatiuof or relating to operations, especially military operations
- operatiufunctioning and ready for use
- operatiueffective or operative
- operacionaldetermined by means of practical measures
Finnish operatiivinen, toimiva
- operatiivinenof or relating to operations, especially military operations
- toimivafunctioning and ready for use
- toimintakuntoinenfunctioning and ready for use
- toimintakykyinenfunctioning and ready for use
- toimivaeffective or operative
- käytännöllinendetermined by means of practical measures
French opérationnel
- opérationneldetermined by means of practical measures
German Einsatz-, Operations-
- Einsatz-of or relating to operations, especially military operations
- Operations-of or relating to operations, especially military operations
- betriebsbereitfunctioning and ready for use
- funktionsfähigfunctioning and ready for use
- einsatzfähigfunctioning and ready for use
Greek ετοιμοπόλεμος, μάχιμος
- ετοιμοπόλεμος (etoimopólemos)of or relating to operations, especially military operations
- μάχιμος (máchimos)of or relating to operations, especially military operations
- λειτουργικός (leitourgikós)functioning and ready for use
- λειτουργικός (leitourgikós)effective or operative
Hindi क्रियाशील, क्रियाशील
- क्रियाशील (kriyāśīl)functioning and ready for use
- क्रियाशील (kriyāśīl)effective or operative
Hungarian üzemképes
- üzemképesfunctioning and ready for use
Indonesian operasional, operasional
- operasionalof or relating to operations, especially military operations
- operasionalfunctioning and ready for use
- operasionaleffective or operative
Italian operazionale
- operazionaledetermined by means of practical measures
Latin operātiōnālis, operābilis
- operātiōnālisof or relating to operations, especially military operations
- operābilisfunctioning and ready for use
Norwegian Bokmål operasjonell, operasjonell
- operasjonellof or relating to operations, especially military operations
- operasjonellfunctioning and ready for use
- operativfunctioning and ready for use
- operasjonelleffective or operative
Persian عملیاتی
- عملیاتی ('amaliyâti)of or relating to operations, especially military operations
Polish aktywny
- aktywnyfunctioning and ready for use
Portuguese operacional
- operacionaldetermined by means of practical measures
Romanian operațional
- operaționalof or relating to operations, especially military operations
Russian операти́вный, де́йствующий
- операти́вный (operatívnyj)of or relating to operations, especially military operations
- де́йствующий (déjstvujuščij)functioning and ready for use
- де́йствующий (déjstvujuščij)effective or operative
Spanish operacional, operacional
- operacionalof or relating to operations, especially military operations
- operacionalfunctioning and ready for use
- operatoriofunctioning and ready for use
- operacionaleffective or operative
- operatorioeffective or operative
- operacionaldetermined by means of practical measures
Cite this entry
operational. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operational
“operational.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operational. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “operational,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operational.
Source: operational on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.