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Canny vs Subtle - What's the difference?

canny | subtle | Synonyms |

Canny is a synonym of subtle.


As adjectives the difference between canny and subtle

is that canny is careful, prudent, cautious while subtle is hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.

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

    Related terms

    * uncanny (Note: In common modern usage, "canny" and "uncanny" are no longer antonyms.)

    References

    * * * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    subtle

    English

    Alternative forms

    * subtil (obsolete) * subtile (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.
    • The difference is subtle , but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
  • (of a thing) Cleverly contrived.
  • (of a person or animal) Cunning, skillful.
  • insidious
  • * 1623 , , act iv, scene 4,
    • Thy age confirmed, proud, subtle , bloody, treacherous.
  • Tenuous; rarefied; of low density or thin consistency.

    • Synonyms

    * crafty, cunning, skillful * (insidious) insidious

    Antonyms

    * (hard to grasp) simple

    Derived terms

    * subtle body * subtleness * subtlety * subtly

    References

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * * * *