logistics

American  

[loh-jis-tiks, luh-] / loʊˈdʒɪs tɪks, lə- /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. the branch of military science and operations dealing with the procurement, supply, and maintenance of equipment, with the movement, evacuation, and hospitalization of personnel, with the provision of facilities and services, and with related matters.

2. the planning, implementation, and coordination of the details of a business or other operation.

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logistics British  

/ lɒˈdʒɪstɪks /

noun

1. the science of the movement, supplying, and maintenance of military forces in the field

2. the management of materials flow through an organization, from raw materials through to finished goods

3. the detailed planning and organization of any large complex operation

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Other Word Forms

• logistician
  noun

Etymology

Origin of logistics

First recorded in 1875–80; from French logistique “quartermaster's work,” equivalent to log(er) “to lodge, be quartered (said of troops)” + -istique -istic; see -ics

Explanation

When you sit down to plan a party and work out how many cups you need, where you'll put the chairs, and what time you'll start cooking, you are working out the logistics — the necessary details. Logistics can describe difficult, technical operations. Many colleges have departments of logistics, which teach students how to plan for complicated events, like wars. The term is often used in military contexts to describe how to get soldiers to a certain place with enough food, toilet paper, guns, ammunition, and transportation. You'll often hear logistics used in regular speech to describe any effort that requires some prior planning — even if it's just the logistics of picking someone up at the airport.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

logistics

“We certainly have regular return clients each year,” said Kingsley Read, director at ShipMyCar, a U.K.-based logistics company that handles car imports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

"Prolonged air-raid alerts affect not only people's safety, but also the operation of businesses, logistics, transportation, schools, kindergartens," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

Earlier this month, a drone loaded with explosives reached a runway in Germany's Leipzig airport - a key logistics hub for transferring military equipment to Ukraine.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Now, “truckers are finally starting to make some money,” said Lee Klaskow, a logistics analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

Right this minute, her logistics coordinator is drinking lemonade in their backyard and feeding ice to Bit, which the dog chases on the lawn.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Related Words

• coordination
• engineering
• planning
• strategy