English
operatory
Operatory comes from Late Latin operor ‘to work, labor’, from Latin operātus ‘having worked, laboured, toiled’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- ‘to work, toil, make’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ep-‘to work, toil, make’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃épos‘work’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*opos‘work’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEopus‘work, labor, accomplishment’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEopera
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoperātus‘having worked, laboured, toiled’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEoperor‘to work, labor’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500operātōriumparticiple of operor
- Englishtodayoperatory
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ep-‘to work, toil, make’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃épos‘work’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*opos‘work’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEopus‘work, labor, accomplishment’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEopera
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoperātus‘having worked, laboured, toiled’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEoperor‘to work, labor’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500operātōriumparticiple of operor
- Englishtodayoperatory
The story
The modern senses may be derived independently of the obsolete senses.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- ‘to work, toil, make’
office, official, bus, copy, omnibus, copious, opulence, officiate, officiant, officious, omnivore, 24 more
through Latin opus ‘work, labor, accomplishment’
through Latin opera
ure, oeuvre, operetta, 11 more
through Late Latin operor ‘to work, labor’
Today it means
adj effective; practical; operative
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- / operatory