A system or service that is operative is working or having an effect.
双语例句
例：
The commercial telephone service was no longer operative.
商务电话服务已停止运营。
NOUN. 名词
operatives
1.?[C 可数名词] 技工
An operative is a worker, especially one who does work with their hands.
双语例句
例：
In an automated car plant there is not a human operative to be seen.
在自动化汽车制造厂里，一个工人也看不到。
2.?[C 可数名词] 特工人员
An operative is someone who works for a government agency such as the intelligence service.
双语例句
例：
Naturally the CIA wants to protect its operatives.
中央情报局当然想保护自己的特工。
PHRASE. 习语
the operative word
1.?关键词
If you describe a word as the operative word, you want to draw attention to it because you think it is important or exactly true in a particular situation.
双语例句
例：
As long as the operative word is 'greed', you can't count on people keeping the costs down.