operation

noun
UK: /ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən/
US: /ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/

  1. An act of surgery performed on a person or animal.

    1. He had an operation on his leg. [ ] [ ]
    2. The doctor said the operation was successful and he's recovering well after the operation. [ ] [ ]

  2. An organized activity involving many people to do or achieve something.

    1. The police started a big operation. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company runs its operation from a head office in London, overseeing all daily tasks. [ ] [ ]

  3. The process of functioning or operating.

    1. The machine is in operation now. [ ] [ ]
    2. The smooth operation of the department depends on good communication with the leader. [ ] [ ]

  4. A business or company.

    1. It's a small family operation. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company's European operation is based in Germany, providing support and services. [ ] [ ]

  5. A mathematical process, like addition or subtraction.

    1. Plus is a math operation. [ ] [ ]
    2. This calculator can perform basic mathematical operations such as addition, division. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

process action handle activity manage company surgery procedure business
operation verb

  1. To control or use a machine or system.

    1. I don't know how to operate this. [ ] [ ]
    2. You need special training to operate this machine effectively for safety reasons. [ ] [ ]

  2. To manage or control a business or organization.

    1. She operates a small shop. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company operates several factories in different countries to increase production volume. [ ] [ ]

  3. To perform surgery.

    1. A doctor will operate on you. [ ] [ ]
    2. The surgeon will operate on the patient tomorrow morning after all tests are completed. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "operation" in English means: An act of surgery performed on a person or animal., An organized activity involving many people to do or achieve something., The process of functioning or operating., A business or company., A mathematical process, like addition or subtraction..

The phonetic transcription of "operation" is /ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən/ in British English and /ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "operation": process, action, handle, activity, manage, company, surgery, procedure, business.

Example usage of "operation": "He had an operation on his leg.". More examples on the page.