-jik, -jēk adjective
also stra·te·gi·cal -jə̇kəl, -jēk-
Etymology: strategic from Greek stratēgikos of a general, from stratēgos general + -ikos -ic; strategical from Greek stratēgikos + English -al — more at stratagem
1. : of, relating to, or concerned with strategy
strategic strength
strategic considerations
on account of their strategic value to the enemy, I destroyed the bridges — R.H.Davis
2. : marked by or done in accordance with strategy
this strategic retreat was the promise of victory — C.A. & Mary Beard
3.
a. : necessary to or of great value or importance in the initiation, conduct, or completion of a strategic plan
it is not probable that any enemy would attack … across thousands of miles of ocean, until it had acquired strategic bases from which to operate — F.D.Roosevelt
strategic roads
the retention of a strong strategic reserve
specifically : required for the conduct of war but obtainable at least in part only from outside the country — compare critical
b. : of great or vital importance within an integrated whole or to the taking place of a planned or unplanned occurrence
reinforced with belting leather at the corners and other strategic spots — New Yorker
at strategic points where agricultural products were processed … towns grew rapidly — American Guides Series: New York
there are four strategic areas of the economy: inventories, durables, business construction, and housing — H.H.Villard
constriction of arteries in strategic areas of the brain — Journal American Medical Association
4. : designed or trained to strike an enemy at the sources of his military, economic, or political power and especially to destroy rear area bases and supply depots, industrial centers, and communications networks
strategic bomber
strategic air warfare