English
stratagem
Stratagem comes from Latin strategema ‘a stratagem’, from Ancient Greek στρατήγημα ‘the act of a general, a piece of generalship’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eǵ-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éǵeti‘to be driving’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*ágō‘to lead, to guide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄγωágō‘to lead, fetch, bring along, take with’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEστρατηγόςstratēgós‘a general, the leader or commander of an army’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEστρατηγέωstratēgéō‘to be a general, command an army’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEστρατήγημαstratḗgēma‘the act of a general, a piece of generalship’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstrategema‘a stratagem’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400stratageme
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500stratageme
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588stratagem
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eǵ-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éǵeti‘to be driving’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*ágō‘to lead, to guide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄγωágō‘to lead, fetch, bring along, take with’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEστρατηγόςstratēgós‘a general, the leader or commander of an army’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEστρατηγέωstratēgéō‘to be a general, command an army’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEστρατήγημαstratḗgēma‘the act of a general, a piece of generalship’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstrategema‘a stratagem’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400stratageme
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500stratageme
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588stratagem
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “His fiery eies are fixt vpon the earth. As…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-
reaction, register, suggest, actively, essay, transaction, acre, inactive, radioactive, gesture, congestion, digest, belligerent, unambiguous, agrarian, retroactive, progesterone, hyperactivity, ingestion, reagent, ingest, gestation, ambiguously, samaj, agitate, agger, gerund, gestion, 130 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti ‘to be driving’
act, action, active, activity, actual, actor, agency, agent, agenda, activate, ambiguous, ambiguity, squat, assay, agile, agility, agitation, radium, actuator, cogent, actuation, inexact, exigent, actuate, 113 more
through Proto-Hellenic *ágō ‘to lead, to guide’
agony, antagonist, antagonism, agonist, axiomatic, antagonize, agonize, 23 more
through Ancient Greek ἄγω ‘to lead, fetch, bring along, take with’
through Ancient Greek στρατηγός ‘a general, the leader or commander of an army’
Today it means
noun A tactic or artifice designed to gain the upper hand, especially one involving underhanded dealings or deception.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- / stratagem