Incautious
/ɪnˈkɔː.ʃəs/noun
Lacking caution; careless or heedless.
Did you know?Incautious comes from Latin cautionem, “care,” “prudence,” or “warrant,” so the word is built on the idea of failing to guard yourself before danger arrives.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
cautio
“carefulness, foresight, prudence; a legal security or guarantee”
Late Latin
Latin
incautus
“unwary, not on guard, heedless”
Old French
Old French
incaut
“careless, imprudent”
Middle English
English
incautious
“not cautious; lacking prudence”
Modern English
English
incautious
“lacking caution; careless or heedless”