different between prudent vs cunning

English

Etymology

From Middle English prudent, from Old French prudent, from Latin pr?d?ns, contracted from pr?vid?ns (“foresight”) (English providence), the past participle of pr?vide? (“I forsee”). Unrelated to prude.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?u?d?nt/

Adjective

prudent (comparative more prudent, superlative most prudent)

1. Sagacious in adapting means to ends; circumspect in action, or in determining any line of conduct.

   Synonyms: careful, considerate, discreet; see also Thesaurus:cautious

   • 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce

     Moses established a grave and prudent law.

2. Practically wise, judicious, shrewd.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:wise

3. Frugal, economical.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:frugal

   Antonym: extravagant

Antonyms

• imprudent

Derived terms

• prudence
• prudently

Related terms

• jurisprudence
• prudence
• prudential
• provident

Translations

Anagrams

• prunted, uptrend

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin pr?d?ns.

Adjective

prudent (masculine and feminine plural prudents)

1. prudent

Derived terms

• prudentment

Related terms

• prudència

Further reading

• “prudent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “prudent” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “prudent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “prudent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pr?d?ns, pr?d?ntem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?y.d??/

Adjective

prudent (feminine singular prudente, masculine plural prudents, feminine plural prudentes)

1. prudent, careful, cautious

Antonyms

• imprudent

Related terms

• prudence

Further reading

• “prudent” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French prudent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pru?dent/

Adjective

prudent m or n (feminine singular prudent?, masculine plural pruden?i, feminine and neuter plural prudente)

1. prudent, careful, cautious

Declension

Synonyms

• precaut, atent, îngrijit

Related terms

• pruden??

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -?n??
• IPA^(key): /?k?n??/

Etymology 1

From Middle English cunning, kunning, konnyng, alteration of earlier Middle English cunninde, kunnende, cunnand, from Old English cunnende, present participle of cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”), equivalent to con +? -ing. Cognate with Scots cunnand (“cunning”), German könnend (“able to do”), Icelandic kunnandi (“cunning”). More at con, can.

Adjective

cunning (comparative more cunning, superlative most cunning)

1. Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.

   • They are resolved to be cunning; let others run the hazard of being sincere.

2. (obsolete) Skillful, artful.

   • Esau was a cunning hunter.

   • a cunning workman
3. (obsolete) Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious.

   cunning work
4. (US, colloquial, dated, New England) Cute, appealing.

   a cunning little boy

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Bartlett to this entry?)

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:wily

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English cunning, kunnyng, partially from Old English *cunning (verbal noun), from Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”); partially from Old English cunnung (“knowledge, trial, probation, experience, contact, carnal knowledge”), from cunnian (“to search into, try, test, seek for, explore, investigate, experience, have experience of, to make trial of, know”), equivalent to con +? -ing.

Noun

cunning (countable and uncountable, plural cunnings)

1. Practical knowledge or experience; aptitude in performance; skill, proficiency; dexterity.
   • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 236d.

     indeed at this very moment he's slipped away with the utmost cunning into a form that's most perplexing to investigate.

2. Practical skill employed in a secret or crafty manner; craft; artifice; skillful deceit; art or magic.
   • c. 1610-11, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act III scene ii^[1]:

     Caliban: As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.

3. The disposition to employ one's skill in an artful manner; craftiness; guile; artifice; skill of being cunning, sly, conniving, or deceitful.
4. The natural wit or instincts of an animal.

   the cunning of the fox or hare

5. (obsolete) Knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).

Synonyms

• craftiness
• foxship
• list

Translations