operator

noun

op·​er·​a·​tor ˈä-pə-ˌrā-tər 

ˈä-ˌprā-

1

: one that operates: such as

a

: one that operates a machine or device

b

: one that operates a business

c

: one that performs surgical operations

d

: one that deals in stocks or commodities

2

a

: mountebank, fraud

b

: a shrewd and skillful person who knows how to circumvent restrictions or difficulties

3

a

: something and especially a symbol that denotes or performs a mathematical or logical operation

b

: a mathematical function

4

: a binding site in a DNA chain at which a genetic repressor binds to inhibit the initiation of transcription of messenger RNA by one or more nearby structural genes

called also operator gene

compare operon

operatorless adjective

Examples of operator in a Sentence

the operator of an automobile

the operator of a nuclear power plant

Call the operator for the phone number.

Operator, please connect me with extension 123.

She's quite an operator—no one else could have gotten them all to agree to the project.

Recent Examples on the Web

Helping customers reduce dependency on human operators has become increasingly important, especially when talent is scarce and institutional knowledge is hard to maintain. —Joel Scutchfield, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

The city of Fort Worth prevailed in a lawsuit challenging its rules on short-term rentals like those listed on Airbnb and VRBO. Short-term rental operators sued the city in June 2023 alleging the rules violated their property rights. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2025

Many of the biggest data center operators — including Club names Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Amazon — also have since reaffirmed their spending AI spending plans for the year ahead. —Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025

After more than four years of defending a lawsuit against video gaming operators and their trade association, the city of Waukegan will receive more than $11.3 million after repelling an onslaught of allegations over several iterations before the court. —Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin operātor "worker, producer," from operārī "to work, be efficacious" + Latin -tor, agent suffix — more at operate

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing operator

• crane operator
• smooth operator

Rhymes for operator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

operator

noun

op·​er·​a·​tor ˈäp-(ə-)ˌrāt-ər 

1

: a person who operates something

the operator of an automobile

2

: a person in charge of a telephone switchboard

Medical Definition

operator

noun

op·​er·​a·​tor ˈäp-(ə-)ˌrāt-ər 

1

: one (as a dentist or surgeon) who performs surgical operations

2

: a binding site in a DNA chain at which a genetic repressor binds to inhibit the initiation of transcription of messenger RNA by one or more nearby structural genes

called also operator gene

compare operon