Agency Dictionary

Logistics

nounPronunciation: /ləˈdʒɪs.tɪks/

In Portuguese: Logística

What does “Logistics” mean?

The detailed organization, planning, and practical implementation of complex operations involving the movement, transport, and maintenance of materials, goods, and personnel across distribution channels.

Etymology

From French logistique, a term popularized in military planning in the early 19th century. The French word derives from logis (lodging, billet), as in the military title maréchal des logis, the officer responsible for housing and moving troops. The broader commercial and industrial senses spread through the 20th century as supply-chain management became a discipline in its own right.

Usage note

In English, logistics ends in -s and takes either a singular or a plural verb: singular for the discipline, often plural for the practical arrangements of one operation.

Synonyms

supply chain
distribution
operations
coordination

Word family

logistic
logistical
logistically
logistician

Rhymes with

statistics
linguistics
ballistics

Usage examples

It offers an inventory of packaged goods that comes from warehouses through bulk logistics and transportation.

Concept

Global Supply ChainA global supply chain is an interconnected network of organizations, resources, activities, and technologies involved in creating and delivering a product across…

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Issue.24 - Boiling Red CobaltMay 17, 2024Read the edition

Words of the same theme

Consumernoun: An individual or group that acquires, purchases, or consumes physical or commercial goods and services for personal use. In marketing, consumers are studied for purchasing patterns and brand preferences.
stakeholdernoun: A person or group with an interest in a project or an organization and affected by its results, such as clients, managers, investors or users.
asynchronousadjective: Not occurring at the same time or coordinated simultaneously, describing workflows or interactions handled independently across time.
Bailoutnoun: An emergency provision of financial assistance to a failing company, bank, or economy to prevent insolvency.
Baselinenoun: A clearly defined reference point or standard benchmark against which measurements and quality levels are compared. In industry analysis, it defines the current standard of work.
Bottlenecknoun: A point of congestion or obstruction that impedes progress or restricts flow in a production or organizational system.
brokeragenoun: The business, activity, or fee of a licensed broker who facilitates commercial transactions between buyers and sellers.
Byproductnoun: A secondary, often unexpected result or incidental creation derived from an ongoing process or effort.
cinnamonnoun: An aromatic spice obtained from the stripped inner bark of several tree species of the genus Cinnamomum.
commoditynoun: A basic primary good, agricultural staple, or raw material that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.
consultantnoun: A professional who provides expert advice, diagnostic analysis, and strategic guidance in a specific discipline or industry.
Corporativismnoun: The defence of the interests of a business class or professional group above the general interest, and the culture built around it. The word also names a political and economic system organized through corporations of employers, workers and professions.

Also from these editions: terms

densitynoun: The quantity of mass, pixels, or information concentrated within a given unit of area or space.
Hardwarenoun: The physical, mechanical, and electronic components that constitute a computer system or digital electronic device. It contrasts with software, which provides intangible instructions and programs.
Homeostasisnoun: The state of steady internal, physical, and chemical conditions maintained by living systems or dynamic organizations through coordinated self-regulating physiological or operational adjustments.
Interconnectedadjective: Having all constituent parts or elements mutually connected, reciprocal, or interrelated in such a manner that changes in one directly affect the condition or behavior of the others.
Inventorynoun: A complete itemized catalog or aggregate stock of raw materials, parts, works in progress, and finished goods held in custody by a business enterprise for production or commercial sale.
Lobbynoun: An organized group of individuals or corporate representatives seeking to influence legislators, government officials, or public policies in favor of specific commercial or special interests.
Mineralnoun: A naturally occurring inorganic solid substance characterized by a definite chemical composition and an ordered internal atomic structure. It is extracted by industrial or manual methods for metallurgy and manufacturing.
Rechargeableadjective: Capable of having its electrical chemical energy replenished repeatedly by passing an electric current through the cell in the reverse direction of its normal discharge cycle.
Smugglingnoun: The clandestine and illegal transport of goods, currency, persons, or natural commodities across jurisdictional borders to evade tariffs, customs controls, or legal bans.
Thermometernoun: An instrument designed to measure temperature or thermal gradients across systems. Figuratively, it denotes any sensitive indicator or gauge used to measure changing economic, environmental, or social conditions.
Warehousenoun: A large commercial building used for the organized storage, maintenance, and distribution of raw goods or manufactured inventory prior to shipment. It serves as a central hub in logistics operations.