Cunning
WordNet
adjective
(1) Showing inventiveness and skill
"A clever gadget"
"The cunning maneuvers leading to his success"
"An ingenious solution to the problem"
(2) Marked by skill in deception
"Cunning men often pass for wise"
"Deep political machinations"
"A foxy scheme"
"A slick evasive answer"
"Sly as a fox"
"Tricky Dick"
"A wily old attorney"
(3) Attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
"A cute kid with pigtails"
"A cute little apartment"
"Cunning kittens"
"A cunning baby"
noun
(4) Crafty artfulness (especially in deception)
(5) Shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
WiktionaryText
Etymology
As a noun from Old English cunnung, as an adjective from Middle English cunnand
Adjective
Noun
- The skill of being cunning, sly, conniving, or deceitful
- Aptitude in performance; skill, proficiency.