Operant vs Operative - What's the difference?
operant | operative | Related terms |
That operates to produce an effect.
* Shakespeare
* 1955 , edition, ISBN 0553249592, page 117:
An operative person or thing.
(psychology) Any of a class of behaviors that produce consequences by operating (i.e., acting) upon the environment.
Effectual or important.
Functional, in working order.
Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects.
* South
Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious.
Based upon, or consisting of, a surgical operation or operations.
An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
A spy, secret agent, or detective.
A participant of an operation.
Operative is a related term of operant.
As adjectives the difference between operant and operative
is that operant is that operates to produce an effect while operative is effectual or important.As nouns the difference between operant and operative
is that operant is an operative person or thing while operative is an employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.operant
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- thy most operant poison
- I tell you frankly, if Paul Aubry is guilty I hope is convicted and punished; but if one of the others is guilty I hope he—or she—is punished, and if I knew anything operant to that end I certainly would not withhold it.
Noun
(en noun)Derived terms
* inoperant * operancy * operant conditioningAntonyms
* inoperantSee also
* Skinner boxAnagrams
* ----operative
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He's usually in a good mood — the operative word there being "usually". Today was a disaster.
- an operative motive
- It holds in all operative principles.
- an operative dose, rule, or penalty
- operative surgery