# cagey

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈkeɪd͡ʒi/ · frequency rank #59,938

## Definitions
1. Wary, careful, shrewd.
2. Uncommunicative; unwilling or hesitant to give information.

## Etymology
Initially US colloquial, of unknown origin. A connection with the behavior of caged prisoners (wary and closed-lipped) and caged animals (wary) has been speculated. If so, by surface analysis, cage + -y.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cagey