Dictionary

carelessly en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈkɛɹləsli/ (General-American)
• /ˈkɛələsli/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵeh₂r-der. Proto-Germanic *karō Proto-West Germanic *karu Old English caru Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Old English carlēas Middle English careles English careless Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English carelessly From careless + -ly.

Meanings

1. Giving the appearance of carelessness; relaxedly.
   • The papers were carelessly strewn on the table.
   • Let us try to imagine the qualms of some Fifth Avenue florist if he could but see so many potential boutonnières, at a dollar apiece, so carelessly heaped up in baskets, lining the dingy pavement. 1920 March 14, Alice Ballantine Kirjassoff, “FORMOSA THE BEAUTIFUL”, in National Geographic Magazine, page 264:
2. Done without care or attention; inattentively.
   • Distracted by the salesperson, he carelessly read the contract.

Forms

Translations (31)

de leichtsinnigerweise (in a careless manner) · de sorglos (in a careless manner) · cs lehkomyslně (in a careless manner) · pt descuidadamente (in a careless manner) · fi huolimattomasti (in a careless manner) · eo senatente (inattentively) · pl niedbale (in a careless manner) · cmn 不經意 /不经意 (in a careless manner) · nv tʼáá naʼńleʼee (in a careless manner) · hu gondatlanul (in a careless manner) · fr négligemment (in a careless manner) · ru небре́жно (in a careless manner) · es desatentadamente (inattentively) · eo senzorge (in a careless manner) · ja 不注意に (in a careless manner) · sh nȅmārno (in a careless manner) · pl nieuważnie (inattentively) · bn অন্ধভাবে (in a careless manner) · sh не̏ма̄рно (in a careless manner) · es descuidadamente (in a careless manner) · cs nedbale (in a careless manner) · te అజాగ్రతగా (in a careless manner) · hu figyelmetlenül (inattentively) · pl niestarannie (in a careless manner) · txb enersäṅk (in a careless manner) · fi muina miehinä (in a careless manner) · ru беспе́чно (in a careless manner) · ru безала́берно (in a careless manner) · ga ar nós cuma liom (in a careless manner) · ru хала́тно (in a careless manner) · ja うっかり (in a careless manner)