Cunning means being clever at getting what you want, often by using trickery or secret plans. As a noun, it refers to skill in deception or cleverness.
From Old English *cunnan* “to know,” which gave *cunnende* “knowledgeable, skillful.” Over time, the idea of special skill shifted toward clever, sometimes sneaky intelligence.
Cunning started out as a compliment about knowledge, not sneaky behavior—being ‘cunning’ once meant you were skillful and wise. It shows how society’s feelings about intelligence can flip, especially when smart people use their brains to bend rules.
'Cunning' has historically been used in a gendered way, with women labeled 'cunning' to imply manipulative or untrustworthy intelligence, especially when they exercised influence indirectly. In earlier English, 'cunning' could also mean simply 'knowledgeable,' but the pejorative sense has been unevenly applied to women.
Use 'cunning' sparingly for specific strategic behavior, and avoid applying it in ways that reinforce stereotypes about women or marginalized groups as inherently deceitful.
["clever","strategic","resourceful"]
Women’s strategic thinking in constrained social conditions has often been framed as 'cunning' rather than recognized as intelligence and leadership.
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