The DICT Development Group

  Operator \Op"er*a`tor\, n. [L.]
     1. One who, or that which, operates or produces an effect.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Surg.) One who performs some act upon the human body by
        means of the hand, or with instruments.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A dealer in stocks or any commodity for speculative
        purposes; a speculator. [Brokers' Cant]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Math.) The symbol that expresses the operation to be
        performed; -- called also facient.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. A person who operates a telephone switchboard.
        [PJC]
  
     6. A person who schemes and maneuvers adroitly or deviously
        to achieve his/her purposes.
        [PJC]

  operator
       n 1: (mathematics) a symbol that represents a function from
            functions to functions; "the integral operator"
       2: an agent that operates some apparatus or machine; "the
          operator of the switchboard" [syn: manipulator]
       3: someone who owns or operates a business; "who is the
          operator of this franchise?"
       4: a shrewd or unscrupulous person who knows how to circumvent
          difficulties [syn: hustler, wheeler dealer]
       5: a speculator who trades aggressively on stock or commodity
          markets

  105 Moby Thesaurus words for "operator":
     Machiavellian, PBX operator, activist, actor, administrator,
     adventurer, agent, architect, author, ball of fire, beaver,
     behind-the-scenes operator, big operator, big wheel,
     big-time operator, bustler, busy bee, central, coconspirator,
     conductor, conniver, conspirator, conspirer, counterplotter,
     creator, director, doer, driver, eager beaver, eminence grise,
     engineer, enthusiast, executant, executor, executrix, exploiter,
     fabricator, faker, finagler, fraud, functionary, gamesman,
     go-getter, gray eminence, gunslinger, handler, human dynamo,
     hustler, intrigant, intriguer, kingmaker, lame duck, live wire,
     logroller, long distance, machinator, maker, man of action,
     man of deeds, manager, maneuverer, manipulator, margin purchaser,
     medium, militant, mover, new broom, operant, operative,
     operative surgeon, opportunist, performer, perpetrator, pilot,
     plotter, plunger, political activist, pork-barrel politician,
     powerhouse, practitioner, prime mover, producer, runner, sawbones,
     scalper, schemer, smart operator, smoothie, speculator, stag,
     steersman, strategist, subject, superintendent, supervisor,
     surgeon, switchboard operator, take-charge guy, telephone operator,
     telephonist, wheeler-dealer, winner, wire-puller, wise guy,
     worker
  
  

  operator
       
           A symbol used as a function, with infix
          syntax if it has two arguments (e.g. "+") or prefix syntax if
          it has only one (e.g. Boolean NOT).  Many languages use
          operators for built-in functions such as arithmetic and logic.
       
          (1995-04-30)