What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Cagey vs Canny - What's the difference?

cagey | canny |

As adjectives the difference between cagey and canny

is that cagey is wary, careful, shrewd while canny is careful, prudent, cautious.

cagey

English

Alternative forms

* cagy

Adjective

(er)
  • wary, careful, shrewd
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=February 6 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=West Ham 0 - 1 Birmingham , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=But with both sides in the Premier League's bottom three before the game began, the three points at stake made for a cagey match.}}
  • uncommunicative; unwilling or hesitant to give information.
  • Derived terms

    * cagily * caginess

    canny

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Careful, prudent, cautious.
  • (Ramsay)
  • Knowing, shrewd, astute.
  • (Sir Walter Scott)
  • Frugal, thrifty.
  • (Scotland, Northumbria) Pleasant, fair.
  • She's a canny lass hor like!
  • * 1783 , (Robert Burns), "Green Grow the Rashes O", Songs and Ballads
  • But gie me a cannie hour at e'en,
    My arms about my dearie O;
    An' warl'y cares, an' warl'y men,
    Mae a' gae tapsalteerie O!
  • (Northumbria) Very or much.
  • That's a canny big horse, man!

    Derived terms

    * cannily * canniness

    References

    * * * *

    Anagrams

    * ----