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logistique

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Etymology and origin of the French word logistique

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1546 J. Martin's translation of Colonna's Songe de Poliphile More words from the 16th century
Borrowed from
Latin logisticus
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek λόγος
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French logistique
English logistics

Pronunciation

  • /lɔ.ʒis.tik/[1]

Forms

logistique f (plural logistiques)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin logisticus,[2][3] from Ancient Greek λογιστικός (logistikós, “relating to calculation, relating to reasoning”), from λογίζομαι (logízomai, “to calculate, to reason”), formed on λόγος (lógos).[4][2][5] The TLFi and Rey take it straight from the Greek, which French borrowed several times from the 16th century: the noun for calculating is from the feminine λογιστική (logistikḗ), “the practical science of calculation”.[6][4][7] The GLLF derives that noun from Late Latin logistica (with ars (“art”) understood).[7]

The TLFi and the Robert dictionaries treat the military sense (1840) as the same word.[6][3] Rey says it comes either from the learned word itself or, following the Oxford dictionary, from loger;[4] Wiktionary gives as an alternative the same verb, “to lodge”, or logis “lodging” with the ending -istique,[1] and Etymonline derives the English word logistics from the noun for “lodging”, with the form influenced by the older learned word.[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in 1546 as a proper name, Logistique “Reason”, in J. Martin's translation of Colonna's Songe de Poliphile,[6][4] and in 1593 G. Bouchet used it, as a noun and as an adjective, of physicians who joined reasoning to experience.[6][4] The Grand Robert dates it to 1555.[2]

Semantic evolution

Taken up again in 1611 by Cotgrave, it named the part of arithmetic and algebra dealing with the four operations, a sense now obsolete; from it came an adjective “relating to calculation” (1765, logarithme logistique).[6][4][7] From 1904 it was applied to symbolic logic, to set it apart from other kinds of logic, a use that faded as logique itself came to cover formal systems; logisticien (1908) belongs to this sense.[4][6]

The military sense, the art of combining the transport, supply and lodging of troops, is recorded in 1840,[4][3] and the adjective in 1874.[6][3] About 1960 the word was extended to the means and methods of organising a service or a business,[4][3] with the corresponding adjective about 1970.[4][3] English logistics “art of moving, quartering and supplying troops” (1846) is from this French word.[8]

Timeline

  • 1546 – Logistique “Reason” appears as a proper name in the translation of the Songe de Poliphile.[6][4]
  • 1593 – G. Bouchet speaks of médecins logistiques.[6]
  • 1611 – Cotgrave records the arithmetic sense.[6][7]
  • 1690 – Furetière records it for algebra, later logistique spécieuse.[7]
  • 1765 – The Encyclopédie has logarithme logistique.[6]
  • 1840 – The military sense is recorded.[6][4]
  • 1846 – English logistics is borrowed in the military sense.[8]
  • 1874 – The military adjective appears in the Journal officiel.[6]
  • 1904 – Couturat applies it to symbolic logic.[6][4]
  • c. 1960 – It is extended to the organisation of a business.[4][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (military) The art of combining the transport, supply and lodging of troops.[3][6]
  2. The means and methods of organising a service or a company, especially the flow of materials before, during and after production; logistics.[3][4]
  3. (logic) Symbolic or mathematical logic.[3][7][4]
  4. (mathematics, obsolete) The part of arithmetic dealing with the four operations;[6][5][3] logistique spécieuse was an old name for algebra.[6][5][3]

Adjective

  1. Relating to logistics, military or commercial.[3][1]
  2. (mathematics) Relating to symbolic logic;[1] (statistics) relating to the logistic function.[1]
  3. (mathematics, obsolete) Relating to calculation: logarithme logistique.[5][6]

Word family

  • logisticien
  • logique
  • loger
  • logis
  • Ancient Greek λογιστικός (logistikós)
  • English logistics
  • English logistic

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  7. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Logistique.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/logistique. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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