Charyness
/ˈtʃɛə.ri.nəs/noun
The quality of being cautious, hesitant, or reluctant.
Did you know?Although it can feel almost mystical in tone, *chary* is a real English word tied to old notions of care and caution, not magic or curses.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
cearu
“care, sorrow, anxiety”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*karō
“care, concern, sorrow”
Middle English
ME
chary
“careful, cautious, wary”
Modern English
English
charyness
“the state of being cautious or reluctant”