carelessness

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Lack of care; the state or quality of being careless.

   This accident was caused by carelessness.

2. 2
   noun

   failure to act with the prudence that a reasonable person would exercise under the same circumstances

3. 3
   noun

   the quality of not being careful or taking pains

Etymology

From Middle English *carelesnes, *carlesnesse, from Old English carlēasnes (“freedom from care, security, carelessness”), equivalent to careless + -ness.