stratagema

Stratagema is a term found in classical and medieval literature to denote a stratagem—a plan, device, or trick intended to gain advantage through deception in warfare, diplomacy, or competition. The word derives from Greek stratagema, meaning a military plan or device, and entered Latin as stratagema before passing into later European languages. In usage, stratagema covers feints, decoys, ambushes, and other clever measures designed to mislead an opponent or secure success without direct force.

Historically, stratagema were discussed in military treatises, historical chronicles, and ethical or rhetorical works. They are analyzed for effectiveness, risk, and moral implications, and are often contrasted with straightforward tactics or brute force. The concept also appears in discussions of statecraft and diplomacy, where non-military devices aim to shape outcomes.

In modern English, the term stratagem (the cognate form) is used metaphorically to describe clever plans or tricks in business, politics, sports, and everyday life, sometimes with a neutral or positive nuance and other times with a negative connotation of deception. The term stratagema itself is chiefly of historical interest, with the English form stratagem being more common.