cunning

Where does the word "cunning" come from? It comes from Old English cunnan, passing through Middle English before entering English (1590s).

Cunning’s story begins in Old English: cunnan meant “to know.” 'to know, know how to', the ancestor of modern 'can'. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as cunning. 'learned, skilful'; Psalm 137 in the 1611 Bible says 'let my right hand forget her cunning', meaning her skill. It reached English by 1590s as cunning. Darkened to 'crafty, sly', though village healers were still called 'cunning folk' into the 1800s. Today, cunning means skilled at achieving one's ends by deceit.

1. Stage 1 · Old English · medieval cunnan "to know", 'to know, know how to', the ancestor of modern 'can'.
2. Stage 2 · Middle English · 1300s cunning "skilful", 'learned, skilful'; Psalm 137 in the 1611 Bible says 'let my right hand forget her cunning', meaning her skill.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1590s cunning "sly, clever", darkened to 'crafty, sly', though village healers were still called 'cunning folk' into the 1800s.