'carelessness' originates from the Old English word 'caru,' meaning 'sorrow' or 'anxiety,' combined with the suffix '-less,' indicating absence, and '-ness,' forming a noun.

'carelessness' evolved from the Middle English word 'carlesnesse,' which was derived from 'careless' and the suffix '-ness.'

Initially, it meant 'lack of care or concern,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.