operator

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person who controls or runs a machine, vehicle or piece of equipment.

   Grammar: Often follows the machine's name: a crane operator, a forklift operator.

   Patterns

   • an operator of something
   • a machine operator

   The crane operator waited for the signal before lifting the beam.

   Each forklift operator needs a safety certificate.

   A trained operator can run the press with very little help.

2. 2nouncountable

   A person whose job is to connect telephone calls or give help with them, especially in a call center.

   Grammar: Often used without an article when speaking to one: Operator, please.

   Patterns

   • call the operator
   • an operator at something

   I dialed zero and asked the operator for the hospital's number.

   The operator transferred my call to the billing office.

   Emergency operators answer thousands of calls each night.

3. 3nouncountablebusiness

   A company that runs a service, such as trains, tours, a network or a business site.

   Grammar: Usually pairs with the service: tour operator, mobile operator.

   Patterns

   • an operator of something

   The tour operator canceled the trip because of the storm.

   Rail operators raised ticket prices again this year.

   Which mobile operator has the best coverage in your town?

4. 4nouncountablemathematicscomputing

   A symbol or function in mathematics or computing that performs an action on values, such as plus or minus.

   Grammar: Used in technical contexts: the operator + adds two numbers.

   Patterns

   • the operator for something

   In most languages, the operator * means multiply.

   The program failed because I used the wrong operator.

   Division is a binary operator because it needs two values.

Word forms

Common combinations

machine operator

The machine operator checked the guard before starting the line.

tour operator

We booked the trip through a small tour operator.

emergency operator

The emergency operator stayed on the line until help arrived.

smooth operator

Everyone said he was a smooth operator who could talk his way into any room.

logical operator

The words AND and OR are logical operators in search tools.

Synonyms and how they differ

driver

Driver only fits vehicles, while operator covers any machine or system.

technician

A technician repairs and maintains equipment; an operator simply runs it.

provider

Provider is a broader word for any company supplying a service, while operator suggests it runs the actual system.

Word family

operate verb

to work or run something

operation noun

the running of something, or a medical procedure

operational adjective

working or ready for use

operative adjective

in effect or working

Commonly confused: operator or operative?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “operator”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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