canny C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /ˈkæni/ UK /ˈkæni/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 adj shrewd, careful, and quick-witted, especially in money matters A canny investor, she sold just before the market dropped. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · shrewd, careful, and... shrewdastuteprudentcleversharpcautiouswary ↔ Opposites foolishrecklessimprudentgullible Word family Forms cannilycanniness Derived forms cannilycanniness Related forms cancunningken Etymology AI details A Scots and northern English word from can ('to know how to, be able'), from Old English cunnan ('to know'); originally 'knowing, prudent'. cunnan Old English View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # canny **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈkæni/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈkæni/ ## Meanings 1. shrewd, careful, and quick-witted, especially in money matters ## Examples - A canny investor, she sold just before the market dropped. ## Synonyms - shrewd - astute - prudent - clever - sharp - cautious - wary ## Antonyms - foolish - reckless - imprudent - gullible ## Derived Forms - cannily - canniness ## Related Forms - can - cunning - ken ## Roots and Affixes - Root: cunnan ## Etymology A Scots and northern English word from can ('to know how to, be able'), from Old English cunnan ('to know'); originally 'knowing, prudent'. ## AI Etymology Canny is a Scots and northern English word from can ('to know how to, be able'), from Old English cunnan ('to know'); originally 'knowing, prudent'. The historical trail runs through Old English cunnan. The later sense follows a semantic development already present in the word's history. In modern use it means shrewd, careful, and quick-witted, especially in money matters. Derived formations include cannily, canniness; related forms include can, cunning, ken. ## Topics - Describing Qualities - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown