operation

noun

op·​er·​a·​tion ˌä-pə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: performance of a practical work or of something involving the practical application of principles or processes

Practice until you can go through the whole operation without hesitation or thinking.

2

a

: an exertion of power or influence

the operation of a drug

b

: the quality or state of being functional or operative

The plant is now in operation.

c

: a method or manner of functioning

a machine of very simple operation

3

: efficacy, potency

—archaic except in legal usage

4

: a procedure performed on a living body usually with instruments especially for the repair of damage or defect or the restoration of health

needed an operation to remove his appendix

5

: any of various mathematical or logical processes (such as addition) of deriving one entity from others according to a rule

Multiplication is one mathematical operation.

6

a

: a usually military action, mission, or maneuver including its planning and execution

military operations for a large-scale invasion

b

operations plural : the office on the flight line of an airfield where pilots file clearance for flights and where flying from the field is controlled

c

operations plural : the agency of an organization charged with carrying on the principal planning and operating functions of a headquarters and its subordinate units

7

: a business transaction especially when speculative

continued his operations in cotton futures

8

: a single step performed by a computer in the execution of a program (see program entry 1 sense 6a)

9

: a usually small business or establishment

ran a struggling operation

Synonyms

• assignment
• brief
• business
• charge
• detail
• job
• mission
• post

Examples of operation in a Sentence

The family runs a small farming operation.

The company is a billion-dollar operation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Multiple sources familiar with the company’s operations told me that Temu employs fewer than 20 people out of its Boston office. —Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024

To compile this list, Carrie spent hours researching what to consider when shopping for smokers, including cooking area, ease of operation, ease of cleaning, fuel types, and available features. —Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2024

Chuck Robertson, an operations and sales leader with more than 20 years of experience who worked as a market sales manager for Lowe's Companies Inc. Nicholas Ryburn, adult education director at Northwest Technical Institute. —Al Gaspeny, arkansasonline.com, 26 Apr. 2024

Popular on Variety The company’s overall content operations secured a 1.1% gain in revenue, driven largely by U.S. distribution fees and American theme parks. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024

The company has multiple fabs and related operations overseas. —Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 25 Apr. 2024

Every year, the Met Gala provides The Costume Institute with its primary source of funding for exhibitions, publications, acquisitions, operations, and capital improvements. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024

However, city officials assured that legitimate operations are likely already complying. —Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024

George and his other son eventually undertake a heroic rescue operation, crossing the border (illegally) into Mexico, armed with rifles. —Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English operacion "work, action, procedure performed on a body, functioning," borrowed from Medieval Latin operātiōn-, operātiō, going back to Latin, "application of effort, functioning (of natural forces)," from operārī "to busy oneself, be at work" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at operate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing operation

• sex change operation

Kids Definition

operation

noun

op·​er·​a·​tion ˌäp-ə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: the act, process, method, or result of operating

does the whole operation without stopping

the operation of a drug

2

: the quality or state of being able to work or function

put a factory into operation

3

: a procedure performed on a living body usually with medical instruments especially to restore health or repair damage or defect

4

: a mathematical or logical process (as addition or multiplication) for getting one mathematical expression from others according to a rule

5

: the process of putting military or naval forces into action

6

: a single step in a computer program

7

: a usually small business or establishment

Medical Definition

operation

noun

op·​er·​a·​tion ˌäp-ə-ˈrā-shən 

: a procedure performed on a living body usually with instruments for the repair of damage or the restoration of health and especially one that involves incision, excision, or suturing