Operer

Operer is a verb with meanings tied to performing an action, causing something to function, or carrying out a procedure. In French, the standard form is opérer (with acute accents on the e). It means to operate in several senses: to perform a surgical procedure, to operate a machine, or to carry out an operation or action. The noun for a surgical procedure is une opération; the adjective opératoire relates to surgery or operation.

Etymology: The word comes from Latin operari 'to work', via Old French opérer. It shares roots with the English operate and related terms such as operation and operator.

Usage and forms: In French, opérer is a regular -er verb. Present tense forms include: j'opère, tu opères, il opère, nous opérons, vous opérez, ils opèrent.

In English, the unaccented form operer is not standard; when encountered in English texts it is usually a transcription of the French term or appears only in non-English contexts or historical texts. The common English equivalents are to operate for both surgical and mechanical meanings.

See also: operate, operation, surgery, operator, mechanism.

Example sentences: The surgeon will opérer le patient demain. In English: The surgeon will operate on the patient tomorrow. The machine operates smoothly.