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''operational'' ▫ᴱᴺ Entries

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''operational'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260916235430-00-⌔

operational - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Adjective

operational (comparative more operational, superlative most operational)

  • Of or relating to operations, especially military operations.
    • ✤ Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. […] Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today.1
  • Functioning and ready for use.
    • ✤ Princess Leia, before your execution, you will join me at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now.2
    • ✤ Despite somewhat faded paintwork, 87017 Iron Duke is clearly very much operational, as confirmed here on September 4.3
  • Effective or operative.
  • Determined by means of practical measures.

Etymology

From operation + -al.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˌɒp.əˈɹeɪ.ʃə.nəl/
    • Audio (London): 🔊
    • Audio (Berkshire, Southern England): 🔊
  • (General American, dialects of Canada) IPA: /ˌɑ.pəˈɹeɪ.ʃə.nəl/, /ˌɑ.pɚˈeɪ.ʃə.nəl/
  • (Canada, dialects of the US) IPA: /ˌɒp.əˈɹeɪ.ʃə.nəl/
  • (Australia) IPA: /ˌɔp.əˈɹæɪ.ʃə.nəl/
  • (New Zealand) IPA: /ˌɒp.əˈɹæɪ.ʃə.nəl/, [ˌɔ̟p.əˈɹæɪ.ʃə.nəl]

Printed 2026-09-16.

(echo:: @ ⌗)

Footnotes

  1. 2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 70: ↩

  2. 1977, George Lucas, Governor Tarkin, Star Wars: ↩

  3. 2022 December 14, “News in pictures: Class 87 soldiers on in Bulgaria”, in RAIL, number 972, page 26, photo caption: ↩

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