English Reference

Word

operation

Phoneticsop·er·a·tion, stress on the third syllable

US/ˌɑpɝˈeɪʃən/

UK/ˌɒpəɹˈeɪʃən/

Definitions

01medical surgery

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Medicine

n. a medical procedure where a doctor cuts into a person's body to fix or remove something.

n. a surgical procedure performed by medical professionals to treat a pathological condition or injury.

“He had a minor operation on his knee to repair the damaged tissue.”

“The patient underwent a complex five-hour operation to remove the tumor, followed by several weeks of intensive recovery.”

Synonyms

02business or activity

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. the way a business or organization works and does its daily activities.

n. the functional activities or management of a business, organization, or system.

“The company is moving its main operation to a larger office in the city.”

“The logistics operation requires precise coordination between the warehouse staff and the international shipping department.”

03military/police plan

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Military

n. a planned action by the military or police to achieve a specific goal.

n. a coordinated set of actions by military or police forces designed to achieve a strategic objective.

“The police launched a secret operation to catch the thieves.”

“The joint military operation was executed with surgical precision, successfully securing the border without any civilian casualties.”

04functioning of a machine

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Technology

n. the way a machine or system works when it is turned on.

n. the state of being functional or the specific manner in which a device performs its intended task.

“The manual explains the safe operation of the heating system.”

“The engineers monitored the operation of the turbine throughout the night to ensure the vibrations remained within safety limits.”

Antonyms

05math/logic process

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Mathematics Academic

n. a mathematical process like adding or subtracting numbers.

n. a mathematical or logical procedure that takes one or more input values to produce a defined output.

“Addition is the first mathematical operation that children learn in school.”

“The algorithm performs a complex logical operation on the data set before generating the final report.”

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “operation” in context.

Adjective

01. successful operation

“The surgeon told the family that it was a successful operation and the patient is recovering well.”

adj + noun

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₃épos Proto-Italic *opos Latin opus Latin opera Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Latin operātus Latin operor Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin operātiōder. Old French operacionbor. Middle English operacioun English operation From Middle English operacioun, from Old French operacion, from Latin operātiō, from the verb operor (“to work”), from opus, operis (“work”). Equivalent to operate + -ion.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Idioms

Domains

ComputingLogicMathematicsMedicineMilitary

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Frequency
Very common
Level
B1 · IntermediateOxford
Updated

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English Reference