tactical

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈtæk.tɪ.kəl/^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Greek from Ancient Greek τακτικός (taktikós, “fit for arranging”) (see tactic) and -al,^[2][3] or from New Latin tactica (see tactics).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of military or naval tactics: 1570 in the OED and Merriam-Webster, the 1560s in Etymonline.^[5][2][4]

Semantic evolution

Relating to the construction of a sentence is a rare sense of 1698.^[5] Of arrangement or procedure is from 1876,^[5] and of a person, skilful and adroit in managing things, from 1883.^[5][4] Aircraft and bombing in direct support of ground forces are tactical from 1916,^[5] and short-range nuclear weapons, as opposed to strategic ones, by 1957.^[4][5] Tactical voting, voting to defeat a disliked candidate, is a modern political use.^[6]

Timeline

• 1570 – of military tactics.^[5]
• 1876 – of procedure.^[5]
• 1883 – skilful, adroit.^[5]
• 1916 – tactical aircraft.^[5]
• 1957 – tactical nuclear weapons.^[4][5]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Of or relating to tactics, especially military ones.
2. Of weapons or attacks, used in limited operations near the battle area: a tactical missile.
3. Planned to gain an advantage; skilful: a tactical decision.

Word family

• tactically
• nontactical
• tactical unit

Related words

• tactic
• tactics
• syntax
• taxonomy

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
3. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins