canny

canny · adjective, adverb¹

1. Old English · derived fromcunnan“to know how to, be able to”
2. Middle English · derived fromcan
3. English todaycanny

Northern English dialect, from can (“to know”) ( + -y), from Middle English can, first and third person singular of cunnen, connen (“to be able, know how to”), from Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”). Compare Scots canny, English cunny, Old English cann (“knowledge, assertion”). More at can, cunning.

canny · adjective²

Back-formation from uncanny.

canny · adjective³

can (“more or less cylindrical metal container”) + -y

Words from the same roots