cranny
Americannoun
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a small, narrow opening in a wall, rock, etc.; chink; crevice; fissure.
They searched every nook and cranny for the missing ring.
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a small out-of-the-way place or obscure corner; nook.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cranny
1400–50; late Middle English crany, perhaps < Middle French crené, past participle of crener to notch, groove; see crenel
Explanation
A cranny is a little crack or narrow opening, Many cats like to settle themselves into any cranny they can find. A rock wall is full of crannies where you can fit your fingers and feet as you climb up, while a tree's crackly bark provides crannies for insects to hide in. It's pretty common to see the word cranny accompanied by nook: "When you vacuum the living room, don't forget about all the little nooks and crannies!" Cranny is a diminutive of the Old French cran, "notch or fissure," from crener, "to split."
Vocabulary lists containing cranny
A Midsummer Night's Dream
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The BFG
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Before We Were Free
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It takes time for higher energy prices to work their way into every nook and cranny of the economy.
From MarketWatch • May 16, 2026
Surveillance software sprouted in every cranny of the ballpark, first in service of providing more data for teams and front offices to pore over, then as fuel for ever more esoteric betting propositions.
From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026
The tactility of the book encourages you to explore every nook and cranny of the house, which does already feel like a museum of sorts.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025
"They'll be hiding in any nook and cranny to go to sleep during the day."
From BBC • Nov. 2, 2024
These houses are garage-sized small, but they can still have a kitchen and a bathroom and a secret cranny for brainstorming ideas.
From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
