Operator may refer to:

Mathematics

* A symbol indicating a

mathematical operation In mathematics, an operation is a function which takes zero or more input values (also called "'' operands''" or "arguments") to a well-defined output value. The number of operands is the arity of the operation. The most commonly studied oper ...

* Logical operator or logical connective in mathematical logic *

Operator (mathematics) In mathematics, an operator is generally a mapping or function that acts on elements of a space to produce elements of another space (possibly and sometimes required to be the same space). There is no general definition of an ''operator'', bu ...

, mapping that acts on elements of a space to produce elements of another space, e.g.: **

Linear operator In mathematics, and more specifically in linear algebra, a linear map (also called a linear mapping, linear transformation, vector space homomorphism, or in some contexts linear function) is a mapping V \to W between two vector spaces that pres ...

Differential operator In mathematics, a differential operator is an operator defined as a function of the differentiation operator. It is helpful, as a matter of notation first, to consider differentiation as an abstract operation that accepts a function and return ...

** Integral operator (disambiguation)

Computers

* Computer operator, an occupation *

Operator (computer programming) In computer programming, operators are constructs defined within programming languages which behave generally like functions, but which differ syntactically or semantically. Common simple examples include arithmetic (e.g. addition with ), c ...

, a type of computer program function * Operator (extension), an extension for the Firefox web browser, for reading microformats * Ableton Operator, a software synthesizer developed by Ableton

Science

Operator (biology) In genetics, an operon is a functioning unit of DNA containing a cluster of genes under the control of a single promoter. The genes are transcribed together into an mRNA strand and either translated together in the cytoplasm, or undergo splic ...

, a segment of DNA regulating the activity of genes * Operator (linguistics), a special category including wh- interrogatives *

Operator (physics) In physics, an operator is a function over a space of physical states onto another space of physical states. The simplest example of the utility of operators is the study of symmetry (which makes the concept of a group useful in this context). Bec ...

, mathematical operators in quantum physics

Music

* Operator (band), an American hard rock band * Operators, a synth pop band led by Dan Boeckner * ''Operator'' (album), a 2016 album by Mstrkrft * "Operator" (Motown song), a 1965 song recorded by Mary Wells and Brenda Holloway * "Operator" (That's Not the Way It Feels), a 1972 song by Jim Croce from ''You Don't Mess Around with Jim'' * "Operator" (Midnight Star song) (1984), a 1984 #1 R&B/electronic dance single * "Operator" (A Girl Like Me), a 2008 song by Shiloh * "Operator", a 1970 song by the Grateful Dead from '' American Beauty'' * "Operator", a 1975 song by the Manhattan Transfer from '' The Manhattan Transfer'' * "Operator", a 1986 song by Little Richard from '' Lifetime Friend'' * "Operator", a 1993 song by Blue System from '' Backstreet Dreams'' * "Operator", a 1995 song by Real McCoy from '' Another Night'' * "Operator", a 1998 song by Miss Papaya from Pink * "Operator" (Floy Joy song), a song by British group Floy Joy

Fiction

* '' Operator No. 5'', a pulp fiction hero from the 1930s * Operator, a fictional group in the ''

Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the seinen manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized in 1989 under the subtitle of ''The Ghost in the Shell'', ...

'' series * ''Operator'' (2015 film), a 2015 American action thriller drama film starring Luke Goss * ''Operator'' (2016 film), a 2016 American comedy-drama film starring Martin Starr and Mae Whitman * '' The Operator'' (film), a 2000 film * The Operator ('' Marble Hornets''), an entity that stalks the main characters in ''Marble Hornets''. It is also known as the Slender Man. * ''Operator'' (play), a 2005 play by David Williamson

Duties

* Operator (profession), a professional designation used in various industries, e.g.: **

Switchboard operator In the early days of telephony, companies used manual telephone switchboards, and switchboard operators connected calls by inserting a pair of phone plugs into the appropriate jacks. They were gradually phased out and replaced by automated system ...

, a occupation at a company offering telephone services ** Heavy equipment operator, operates heavy equipment used in engineering and construction projects * Operator (military), a soldier in a special operations force * Operator (law enforcement), a law enforcement officer who has been trained and certified as an operator to serve on a SWAT team

Other uses

* ''Operator'' (sternwheeler), a 1909 ship on the Skeena River * Network operator, a phone carrier * System operator, commonly abbreviated as ''sysop'' * Operator grammar, a theory of human language