Operant OP'ERANT, a. [See Operate.] Having power to produce an effect. [Not used. We now use operative.]

operant adj 1: having influence or producing an effect; "many emotional determinants at work"; "an operant conscience"

operant I. adjective Date: 15th century 1. functioning or tending to produce effects ; effective <an operant conscience> 2. of or relating to the observable or measurable 3. of, relating to, or being an operant or operant conditioning <operant behavior> • operantly adverb II. noun Date: 1937 behavior (as bar pressing by a rat to obtain food) that operates on the environment to produce rewarding and reinforcing effects

Operant \Op"er*ant\, a. [L. operans, p. pr. of operari. See Operate.] Operative. [R.] --Shak. -- n. An operative person or thing. [R.] --Coleridge.

31 Moby Thesaurus words for "operant": actor, agent, architect, author, conductor, creator, doer, driver, engineer, executant, executor, executrix, fabricator, functionary, handler, maker, manipulator, medium, mover, operative, operator, performer, perpetrator, pilot, practitioner, prime mover, producer, runner, steersman, subject, worker

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