What does cunninger mean?
'Cunninger' is a comparative form of the adjective 'cunning', meaning more cunning — that is, more adept at deceit, trickery, or crafty cleverness. It would be used, for example, to say that one schemer or fox is more wily than another. However, English convention strongly favours the periphrastic comparative 'more cunning' for adjectives ending in '-ing', just as we say 'more boring' rather than 'boringer'. As a result, 'cunninger' is considered nonstandard: it surfaces occasionally in informal speech, dialect, and older literature, but careful writers avoid it. The underlying word 'cunning' traces back to Old Norse and Old English roots meaning knowledge or ability, which also gave us words like 'can', 'ken', and 'uncanny' — a reminder that being cunning originally meant simply knowing how to do something well before the term took on its modern, slyer connotations.
adjective (comparative form of 'cunning')A comparative form of the adjective 'cunning', meaning more cunning — more skilful at deception or cleverness, especially crafty or sly cleverness.
- More cunning; more skilled in deception or crafty cleverness (comparative of the adjective 'cunning')
"The fox in this fable is cunninger than any of its predecessors."
"The second fox was even cunninger than the first."
"He grew cunninger with every deal he brokered."
English already has a perfectly good comparative for 'cunning' — 'more cunning' — so 'cunninger' is one of those rare forms that exists but that most style guides quietly disapprove of.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cunninger
'Cunninger' derives directly from the adjective 'cunning', which entered Middle English from Old Norse 'kunningi' (or was reinforced by it), ultimately rooted in the Germanic verb meaning to know or be able — the same root that gives us 'can', 'ken', and 'uncanny'. The suffix '-er' is the native English comparative ending, though for '-ing' adjectives standard usage prefers 'more + adjective'. The form is attested only sporadically and remains marginal in modern English.
Word family
Usage notes
Comparative forms of adjectives ending in '-ing' are normally formed periphrastically ('more cunning'), so 'cunninger' is nonstandard and rarely used in careful writing. It appears occasionally in informal speech and older literary texts but should generally be avoided in formal contexts in favour of 'more cunning'.
Don't confuse with
'Cunning' is the base adjective meaning slyly intelligent, while 'cunninger' is its comparative form meaning more cunning.