Plural of operative; people who work in secret for an intelligence agency or organization. Workers or agents who carry out specific operations or tasks.
From Latin 'operativus' meaning 'working' or 'effective,' derived from 'operari' (to work). Originally meant 'having the power to act,' later specialized to mean workers, and by the 20th century extended to secret agents.
The evolution of 'operatives' from general workers to secret agents reflects the 20th century's obsession with espionage and covert operations. The word maintains its original sense of 'getting things done,' but now carries undertones of secrecy and specialized skills.
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