What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Surgical vs Operative - What's the difference?

surgical | operative |

As adjectives the difference between surgical and operative

is that surgical is of, relating to, used in, or resulting from surgery while operative is effectual or important.

As a noun operative is

an employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.

surgical

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of, relating to, used in, or resulting from surgery.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Charles T. Ambrose
  • , title= Alzheimer’s Disease , volume=101, issue=3, page=200, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.}}
  • Precise or very accurate.
  • Derived terms

    * surgically * surgical gown * surgical procedure * surgical spirit

    operative

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Effectual or important.
  • He's usually in a good mood — the operative word there being "usually". Today was a disaster.
  • Functional, in working order.
  • Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects.
  • an operative motive
  • * South
  • It holds in all operative principles.
  • Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious.
  • an operative dose, rule, or penalty
  • Based upon, or consisting of, a surgical operation or operations.
  • operative surgery

    Derived terms

    * operative word

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
  • A spy, secret agent, or detective.
  • A participant of an operation.
  • Anagrams

    * ----