cunning

cunning · adjective¹

1. Old English · inherited fromcunnende
2. Middle English · inherited fromcunninde
3. Middle English · inherited fromcunning
4. English todaycunning

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.

cunning · noun²

1. Old English · inherited fromcunnung“knowledge, trial, probation, experience, contact, carnal knowledge”
2. Old English · derived fromcunnan“to know how to, be able to”
3. Old English · inherited from*cunning
4. Middle English · inherited fromcunning
5. English todaycunning

From Middle English cunning, kunnyng, partially from Old English *cunning (verbal noun), from Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”); partially from Old English cunnung (“knowledge, trial, probation, experience, contact, carnal knowledge”), from cunnian (“to search into, try, test, seek for, explore, investigate, experience, have experience of, to make trial of, know”), equivalent to con + -ing.

Words from the same roots