meaning - What's the difference between a "nook" and a "cranny"?


I think both words mean a sort of crevice or corner. Presumably there must be some significant difference.


The words are almost always used together:


e.g.



She searched in every nook and cranny



Presumably they can be used separately. I think I may have heard "nook" on its own, but never "cranny".


Interestingly the N-gram seems to suggest "nook" is more commonly used than "cranny".


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Answer



In the OED’s definitions, nook seems to have the meaning of some kind of corner, whereas a cranny is some kind of opening or crack. Together they cover a range of possible places in which a thorough search might be conducted. I think either on its own would be rare in current English.


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