canny

[kan-ee]

adjective

cannier, canniest 

1. careful; cautious; prudent.

   a canny reply.

2. astute; shrewd; knowing; sagacious.

   a canny negotiator.

3. skilled; expert.

4. frugal; thrifty.

   a canny housewife.

5. Scot.

   1. safe to deal with, invest in, or work at (usually used with a negative).

   2. gentle; careful; steady.

   3. snug; cozy; comfortable.

   4. pleasing; attractive.

   5. Archaic.,  having supernatural or occult powers.

adverb

1. in a canny manner.

2. Scot.,  carefully; cautiously.

canny

/ ˈkænɪ /

adjective

1. shrewd, esp in business; astute or wary; knowing

2. dialect,  good or nice: used as a general term of approval

3. lucky or fortunate

adverb

1. dialect,  quite; rather

   a canny long while

Other Word Forms

• canniness noun
• overcanny adjective
• cannily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of canny¹

First recorded in 1580–90; can ¹ + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of canny¹

C16: from _can ¹ (in the sense: to know how) + _-y ¹

Example Sentences

Plastic pitch, canny manager, physical team motivated to the high heavens.

From BBC

The book reveals negotiations over public funding for the royals when the Sovereign Grant was introduced in 2012 - and presents the Palace as cannier about money than their counterparts in Westminster.

From BBC

Rather than falling in a flurry of expansive strokes, they lacked any sort of batting rhythm and a meek procession against canny yet unspectacular bowling followed.

From BBC

Knowing how canny Colbert can be, one could note his choice to drop CBS’s classic moniker as a coded “tip of the hat, wag of the finger.”

From Salon

But they would be canny enough to work out who would be interested: the UK's global adversaries.

From BBC

Related Words

• adroit 
• astute 
• cagey 
• cautious 
• discreet 
• frugal 
• ingenious 
• intelligent 
• judicious 
• prudent 
• shrewd 
• skillful 
• sly 
• subtle 
• wise