Strategy: A 'strategy' is literally the… | etymologist.ai
strategy
/ˈstɹæt.ə.dʒi/·noun·1810·Established
Origin
English 'strategy' comes through French from Greek 'stratēgia' (generalship), from 'stratēgos' (general), a compound of 'stratos' (army, literally 'a spread-out force,' from PIE *sterh₃-) + 'agein' (to lead, from PIE *h₂eǵ-) — making strategy literally 'the art of leading a spread-out army.'
Definition
A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.
The Full Story
Greek1810s in English (military sense); 1950s (business sense)well-attested
From French 'stratégie,' from Greek 'stratēgia' (στρατηγία, the office, command, or skill of a general), derived from 'stratēgos' (στρατηγός, a general, a commander), a compound of 'stratos' (στρατός, an army in the field, an encamped force, a host) + 'agein' (ἄγειν, to lead, to drive, to conduct). 'Stratos' derives from PIE *stṛh₃-to- (something spread out), from *sterh₃- (to spread, to stretch out, to strew) — the image of an army spread across a plain. The sameroot *sterh₃-
Latin 'sternere' (to lay flat, to strew — whence 'consternation,' 'prostrate,' and 'street'), Latin 'stratum' (something spread out — a layer, a street surface), and
-range planning. The 'strat-' prefix also appears in 'stratosphere' (the layer spread above) and 'stratigraphy' (reading the layers of rock). Key roots: *sterh₃- (Proto-Indo-European: "to spread out, to extend"), *h₂eǵ- (Proto-Indo-European: "to drive, to lead").