noun

cranny

KRAN-ee/ˈkræni/

A small, narrow opening or tucked-away space.

A tiny snail nestles in a cranny between two weathered stones.

A close view of a small, narrow recess between two weathered stones, with a tiny snail partly tucked inside to make the opening's scale and hidden depth visible.

Etymology

Cranny may come from a diminutive of an Old French word for a notch or fissure, which would fit a small opening. The source notes that the OED doubts this derivation.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain623:28

four of them well armed searched every cranny and lurking hole till at last they found me flat on my face behind the stone

1700s Satire: Jonathan Swift - Gulliver's Travels (Audiobook)

More examples

Moss grows in the crannies of the stone wall.
We search every nook and cranny for the missing key.
This narrow brush reaches the crannies around the faucet.

Forms

cranny · crannies

Similar words

crevice: A narrow crack, especially in rock or another hard surface.
nook: A sheltered corner, not necessarily a narrow opening.
gap: Any opening or space between things, not necessarily small.