Definition of operation
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.
2a : an exertion of power or influence the operation of a drugb : 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
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.
6a : a usually military action, mission, or maneuver including its planning and execution military operations for a large-scale invasionb operations plural : the office on the flight line of an airfield where pilots file clearance for flights and where flying from the field is controlledc 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 1program 6b)
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Examples of operation in a Sentence
The family runs a small farming operation.
The company is a billion-dollar operation.
Recent Examples of operation from the Web
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As more nations and companies plan missions to the moon, the real fear isn’t of some spacefaring Indiana Jones so much as the impacts of numerous lunar landings or, say, a massive mining operation.
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His mother was a Jewish immigrant from Russia whose family sold pickles, building a pushcart operation into a company that later merged with Vlasic.
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Boyce, 61, survived two strokes and five operations to unblock arteries around his heart, including three procedures in which doctors propped open his blood vessels with stents.
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During the 1970s, our freight-rail industry struggled under the weight of onerous regulations that limited the ability of railroads to effectively manage their own operations.
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His approach plays to the small streak of American political discourse that imbues the detention facility’s continued operation with inordinate symbolic value in the war on terror.
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Dennis King, vice president of corporate operations for Gateway Tire, said the 200,000 square-foot center is expected to create 30 initial jobs, with more possibly on the horizon.
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About 60 percent of the wells have now been taken out of operation and isolated from the facility, according to DOGGR and the CPUC.
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Expanding from the current 95,000 square feet at its headquarters to 150,000 square feet will enable the company to bring all operations to one location.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'operation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of operation
Middle English operacioun, from Middle French operation, from Latin operation-, operatio, from operari
OPERATION Defined for English Language Learners
operation
playDefinition of operation for English Language Learners
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: a process in which a doctor cuts into someone's body in order to repair or remove a damaged or diseased part
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: a usually small business or organization
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: an activity of a business or organization
OPERATION Defined for Kids
operation
playDefinition of operation for Students
1 : a set of actions for a particular purpose a rescue operation
2 : a medical procedure that involves cutting into a living body in order to repair or remove a damaged or diseased part I need an operation to remove my appendix.
3 : the process of putting military forces into action naval operations
4 : the state of working or being able to work The factory is now in operation.
5 : a method or manner of working The camera is designed for easy operation.
6 : a process (as addition or multiplication) of getting one mathematical expression from others according to a rule
7 : a single step performed by a computer in carrying out a program
Medical Dictionary
operation
playMedical Definition of operation
: 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
Learn More about operation
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See words that rhyme with operation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for operation Spanish Central: Translation of operation Nglish: Translation of operation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of operation for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about operation
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