In the present study, the Schiff based compound (N′1E,N′3E)-N′1, N′3-bis((2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)malonohydrazide (1) is synthesized via a facile method, characterized and furtherinvestigated for CN^- sensing. Compound 1 is synthesized by the reaction of malonyldihydrazide and2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and its characterization is performed by FT-IR, ¹H NMR and ESI-MS spectrometry.Absorption spectrum pattern of 1 is altered upon the addition of CN^- ion selectively with thegeneration of a new band at 416 nm in H₂O-DMSO (8:2 v/v) medium. The detection limit of 1 for CN^- ion isassessed using UV-visible spectral data which is found to be 36.3 μM. The selective visual colour change isobserved upon the addition of CN^- ion to colourless solution of 1 (colourless to yellow). A similar change incolour is also detected on Whatman filter paper test strips. Fluorescence intensity of sensor 1 is found to beenhanced on the addition of CN^- ion. ¹H NMR titration of 1 with CN^- ion corroborates the binding of theformer using its naphthol OH and NH protons with the latter. Sensor 1 is also evaluated for intracellulardetection of CN^- ion in A549 cells.