Etymology

From in- +‎ operativeCategory:English terms prefixed with in-#OPERATIVE.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈɒp(ə)ɹətɪv/Category:English 5-syllable words#INOPERATIVECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#INOPERATIVE
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈɑp(ə)ɹətɪv/Category:English 5-syllable words#INOPERATIVECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#INOPERATIVE

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#INOPERATIVE

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#INOPERATIVE

Adjective

inoperative (not comparable)Category:English lemmas#INOPERATIVECategory:English adjectives#INOPERATIVECategory:English uncomparable adjectives#INOPERATIVECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#INOPERATIVECategory:Pages with entries#INOPERATIVECategory:Pages with 1 entry#INOPERATIVE

1. Not working or functioning; either idle or broken.
   • 1974, “H2Ogate Blues”, in Winter in America, performed by Gil Scott-Heron:

     Let me see if I can dial this number right quick / "I am sorry, the government you have elected is inoperative / Click. Inoperative"

     Category:English terms with quotations#INOPERATIVE

   • 2024 February 7, Greg Morse, “Tebay tragedy and track safety”, in RAIL, number 1002, page 41:

     RSSB's report, released on September 23 2004, revealed that that the parking brakes on neither trolley had applied. It also revealed how the fixed piping carrying hydraulic pressure to the brake units on both had been severed and blanked off. This meant the parking brakes would not have been able to be released from the RRV. Washers to provide a clamping force to keep the parking brakes on were also missing, rendering them "completely inoperative".

     Category:English terms with quotations#INOPERATIVE

2. (lawCategory:en:Law#INOPERATIVE) No longer legally binding.