Cunning
/ˈkʌn.ɪŋ/noun
Having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion.
Did you know?The word 'cunning' is linked to ancient practices of magic and deception, revealing a hidden world where wit was as powerful as spells.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kʊn-
“to know, to be able”
Old English
Old English
cunning
“knowledgeable, skilled”
Middle English
Middle English
cunninge
“skillful, clever, crafty”
14th Century
Middle English
cunning
“having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit”
Modern English
English
cunning
“cleverness or skill, often in a sly or deceitful manner”