I.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.
