n [It stratagemma, fr. L strategema, fr. Gk strategema, fr. strategein to be a general, maneuver, fr. strategos general, fr. stratos camp, army (akin to L stratus, pp., spread out) + agein to lead--more at stratum, agent]
(15c) 1 a: an artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy b: a cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end 2: skill in ruses or trickery syn see trick
