Phrase guide

nook and cranny

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A place or part of a place, especially one that is small, remote, or tedious to access.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Everyone helped out to clean every nook and cranny of the house.
  • Cleaning this equipment really isn't hard except that getting into all the nooks and crannies is time-consuming.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

something remote

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he explored every nook and cranny of science

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nooks and crannies

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: detail, item, point

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: krinkelkrog — small or remote place
  • Finnish: kolkka — small or remote place
  • French: tous les coins et les recoins — small or remote place
  • German: Winkel — small or remote place
  • German: jede Ecke und jeder Winkel — small or remote place
  • Hungarian: zug — small or remote place
  • Hungarian: rejtett zug — small or remote place
  • Hungarian: sarok — small or remote place
  • Hungarian: távoli sarok — small or remote place
  • Irish: gach cearn is clúid — small or remote place
  • Italian: anfratto — small or remote place
  • Japanese: 隅々まで — small or remote place
  • Norwegian Bokmål: krik og krok — small or remote place
  • Persian: سوراخ سنبه (surâx sonbe) — small or remote place
  • Polish: zakamarek — small or remote place
  • Swedish: skrymsle — small or remote place
  • Swedish: vrå — small or remote place
  • Swedish: skrymslen och vrår — small or remote place