ŏpĕrārĭus, a, um, adj. [opera], of or belonging to labor (class.): homo, Cic. Att. 7, 2, 8: pecus,
working-cattle
, Col. 6, 2, 15: vinum,
for working-men
, Plin. 14, 10, 12, 86.—II.Subst.A. ŏpĕrārĭus, ii, m., a laborer, workman, operative: habere oportet operarios quinque, Cato, R. R. 10, 1: operarius rusticus, the peasant as a day-laborer, Edict. Diocl. 7, 1; cf.: operarius agrarius, Vulg. Ecclus. 37, 13: quos singulos sicut operarios barbarosque contemnas, Cic. Tusc. 5, 36, 104: quidam operarii linguā celeri et exercitatā,
fluent talkers
,
bad orators
, id. de Or. 1, 18, 83: operarium nobis quendam oratorem facis,
underworkman
, id. ib. 1, 62, 263: si quid actum erit, quod isti operarii minus commode persequi possent, i. e.
scribes
,
secretaries
, id. Fam. 8, 1, 2.— B. ŏpĕrārĭa, ae, f., a work-woman, in a comic lusus verbb., Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 41.
