# Cunningham

/ˈkənɪŋˌhæm/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cunningham
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a family name

noun · CEFR B2

a common family name that comes from Scotland.

For teachers: a Scottish habitational surname and clan name, widely distributed throughout the English-speaking world.

- Professor Cunningham gave a very interesting lecture on history today.
- The Cunningham family has maintained a presence in this region for several generations, contributing significantly to the local textile industry.

### 2. sailing equipment

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a rope on a sailboat used to pull down the front edge of a sail to make it flatter.

For teachers: a specific type of downhaul used to adjust the tension of a sail's luff, thereby shifting the draft forward and flattening the sail.

- The wind got stronger, so he pulled the cunningham to flatten the sail.
- As the breeze freshened, the skipper adjusted the cunningham to depower the mainsail and maintain a better heel angle through the gusts.

Usage: usually preceded by the definite article 'the'

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term; unless your students are sailors, they will likely only encounter this word as a surname.

## Examples

- The captain lowered the cunningham into the water.
- Passengers waited on the dock while the crew rowed the cunningham back and forth to unload luggage.
- In the age of sail, the captain's barge was often a large, ornate cunningham designed to impress visitors with its polished woodwork and brass fittings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.