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Intelligence vs Cunning - What's the difference?

intelligence | cunning |

As nouns the difference between intelligence and cunning

is that intelligence is capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to learn and comprehend while cunning is knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).

As an adjective cunning is

sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.

intelligence

Noun

  • (uncountable) Capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to learn and comprehend.
  • * 1912 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 5
  • Not so, however, with Tarzan, the man-child. His life amidst the dangers of the jungle had taught him to meet emergencies with self-confidence, and his higher intelligence resulted in a quickness of mental action far beyond the powers of the apes.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author= Ian Sample
  • , volume=189, issue=6, page=34, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Irregular bedtimes may affect children's brains , passage=Irregular bedtimes may disrupt healthy brain development in young children, according to a study of intelligence and sleeping habits.  ¶ Going to bed at a different time each night affected girls more than boys, but both fared worse on mental tasks than children who had a set bedtime, researchers found.}}
  • (countable) An entity that has such capacities.
  • * Tennyson
  • The great Intelligences fair / That range above our mortal state, / In circle round the blessed gate, / Received and gave him welcome there.
  • (uncountable) Information]], usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile [[activity, activities.
  • (countable) A political or military department, agency or unit designed to gather information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.
  • (dated) Acquaintance; intercourse; familiarity.
  • * Clarendon
  • He lived rather in a fair intelligence than any friendship with the favourites.

    Synonyms

    * (capacity of mind) wit, intellect, brightness * (entity) see * See also

    Derived terms

    * artificial intelligence * machine intelligence * CIA * IQ * * * SIS

    cunning

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) cunning, kunning, konnyng, alteration of earlier (etyl) cunninde, kunnende, cunnand, from (etyl) cunnende, present participle of . More at (l), (l).

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.
  • * South
  • They are resolved to be cunning ; let others run the hazard of being sincere.
  • (obsolete) Skillful, artful.
  • * Bible, Genesis xxv. 27
  • Esau was a cunning hunter.
  • * Bible, Exodus xxxviii. 23
  • a cunning workman
  • * Shakespeare
  • ''Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white / Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on.
  • (obsolete) Wrought with, or exibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious.
  • cunning work
  • * Spenser
  • Over them Arachne high did lift / Her cunning web.
  • (US, colloquial, rare) Cute, appealing.
  • a cunning little boy
    (Bartlett)
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) cunning, kunnyng, partially from (etyl) *.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).
  • Practical knowledge or experience; aptitude in performance; skill, proficiency; dexterity.
  • * 2005 , .
  • indeed at this very moment he's slipped away with the utmost cunning into a form that's most perplexing to investigate.
  • Practical skill employed in a secret or crafty manner; craft; artifice; skillful deceit.
  • The disposition to employ one's skill in an artful manner; craftiness; guile; artifice; skill of being cunning, sly, conniving, or deceitful.
  • The natural wit or instincts of an animal.
  • the cunning of the fox or hare
    Synonyms
    * (l) * (l) * (l)