'carefulness' originates from the Old English word 'caru,' meaning 'sorrow' or 'anxiety,' combined with the suffix '-ful' to denote 'full of care,' and '-ness' to form a noun indicating a state or quality.

'careful' evolved from the Old English 'carful,' which meant 'full of care or concern,' and eventually became the modern English word 'careful.'

Initially, it meant 'full of care or concern,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'cautious and attentive.'