Canniness

Pronunciation: /ˈkæniˌnɪs/

Definitions of canniness

noun the quality of being shrewd and clever in a deceptive way

Example Sentences

A1 She showed great canniness in avoiding dangerous situations.

A2 His canniness in business dealings helped him succeed.

B1 The detective's canniness led to the capture of the criminal.

B2 The politician's canniness in negotiations was admired by many.

C1 Her canniness in strategic planning made her a valuable asset to the company.

C2 The spy's canniness in gathering intelligence was unmatched in the agency.

Examples of canniness in a Sentence

formal Her business success was attributed to her canniness in negotiating deals.

informal His canniness in finding the best deals saved him a lot of money.

slang I admire her streetwise canniness when it comes to making quick decisions.

figurative The detective's canniness in solving the case was unmatched.

Grammatical Forms of canniness

• past tense: canned
• plural: canninesses
• comparative: cannier
• superlative: canniest
• present tense: canniness
• future tense: will be canniness
• perfect tense: has been canniness
• continuous tense: is being canniness
• singular: canniness
• positive degree: canny
• infinitive: to be canny
• gerund: canninessing
• participle: cannied

Origin and Evolution of canniness

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Scottish dialect

Story behind the word: The word 'canniness' originated from the Scottish dialect, derived from the word 'canny' meaning cautious or shrewd.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'canniness' has come to refer to a quality of being careful, clever, and resourceful in a more general sense, beyond just cautiousness or shrewdness.