operative
n. countablen. a person who works for a secret organization or a large company, often doing specialized or hidden tasks. You might see this word in movies about spies or private investigators.
n. a person who works for a government agency, intelligence service, or large organization, typically performing specialized or covert tasks. Often carries a connotation of professional efficiency or secrecy.
The secret operative met his contact in the park.
Intelligence agencies sent an operative to the border to monitor the situation quietly.
The investigation revealed that a corporate operative had been planted within the rival firm to gather sensitive data on their upcoming product launch.
From Middle English operative, operatyfe, from Middle French operatif (modern French opératif) or its etymon Latin operātīvus. By surface analysis, operate + -ive.
Commonly modified by adjectives like 'intelligence', 'field', or 'clandestine' to specify the nature of the work.