Operator
/ˈɒpəˌreɪtər/noun
A person or thing that operates, especially a machine, business, or system.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *operārī*, meaning “to work” or “to labor,” the same ancient root behind *opus* (“work”) and *cooperate*—proof that power often hides inside the language of labor.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃ep-
“to work, produce, or perform labor”
Latin
Latin
opus
“work, labor, deed”
Latin
Latin
operārī
“to work, toil, perform”
Late Latin
Latin
operator
“one who works or performs an action”
Middle English
English
operator
“one who performs an action or works something; later, a person who operates a device or system”
Modern English
English
operator
“a person who operates or controls something, especially machinery or a business”