English vocabulary · C1
Canny
/ˈkæn.i/ · adj.
Canny means good at seeing what to do before you act. You notice small things and make a good choice.
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Example sentences
- Her canny choice saved her last coin.
- A canny shopper saw the torn bag.
Word origin and roots
from Old English
- can — know (from Old English)
Synonyms and nuances
- CLEVER — good at ideas (Fast Good Ideas)
- SMART — good at choices (Good Choice)
- SHREWD — see what may go wrong (See The Catch)
Words with the same root
can — know
- can — know how to
- cunning — clever in a tricky way
- uncanny — strange and not normal
Lesson notes
Canny means good at seeing what to do before you act. You notice small things and make a good choice.
Related: clever, smart, shrewd. Use canny when you make a good choice before you act.
Her canny choice saved her last coin. A canny shopper saw the torn bag.
From Old English. Can means know. Know what to do before you act. That is canny.