1. a plan or scheme, especially one used to outwit an opponent or achieve an end: "a series of devious stratagems"
▪ skill in devising plans or schemes; cunning.
Word Originlate 15th century (originally denoting a military ploy): from French stratagème, via Latin from Greek stratēgēma, from stratēgein ‘be a general’, from stratēgos ‘general’, from stratos ‘army’ + agein ‘to lead’.