The quality of being cunning, shrewd, or clever in a deceptive way; craftiness or trickery.
From Latin 'callidus' meaning cunning or shrewd, derived from 'callere' (to be hard or experienced). The suffix '-ness' converts the adjective into an abstract noun expressing the state or quality.
The word captures a kind of intelligence that's clever but morally questionable—the Romans recognized this distinction by having a separate word for 'smart in a sneaky way' rather than 'genuinely wise,' showing how different cultures value honesty versus cunning.
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