cunning

CEFRB2

/ˈkʌnɪŋ/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Clever at achieving goals, often by using tricks.

  2. 02

    noun

    Skill in using clever tricks to get what you want.

Examples

  • It is said that the fox is more cunning than any other animal.

  • People say that the fox is more cunning than other animals.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Skillful, artful.

  2. Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious.

  3. Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.

More examples

In context

  • The potter's lost his cunning.

  • the cunning of the fox or hare

  • cunning work

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank fox devised an elaborate plan to sneak into the chicken coop unnoticed.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English cunning, kunning, konnyng, alteration of earlier Middle English cunninde, kunnende, cunnand, from Old English cunnende, present participle of cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”), equivalent to con + -ing. Cognate with Scots cunnand (“cunning”), German könnend (“able to do”), Icelandic kunnandi (“cunning”). More at con, can.