1. shrewd, careful, and cautious in business or practical matters
Usage: chiefly Scottish and Northern English; often used to describe someone who is prudent with money or resources
2. clever or skillful in a quiet or understated way
Usage: chiefly Scottish and Northern English

Examples

• He was a cannie businessman who never made hasty investments.
• She had a cannie way of getting what she wanted without making a fuss.
• The cannie farmer managed his resources wisely through the drought.
• He gave a cannie smile, suggesting he knew more than he was saying.
• A cannie approach to spending helped her save for retirement.
• The cannie old woman had seen enough of life to trust few people.