Carefreeness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being untroubled by worries, responsibilities, or concerns about consequences
2. The condition of being unencumbered by worries or responsibilities allows one to experience life fully while embracing joy and spontaneity
3. The state of lacking anxiety or burdens, enabling one to live freely and joyfully without concern for potential repercussions or duties

Etymology: "Carefreeness" is a plain English formation: "carefree" combined with the suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun meaning "the state or quality of" being the adjective. The adjective itself is built from "care", a word that has a long history in English, meaning worry or anxiety, and the second element "free", meaning unburdened or unrestricted. Put together, "carefree" describes someone free of worry, and "carefreeness" names that condition. The suffix "-ness" is among the oldest productive endings in English. It descends from Old English "-nes" and has been attached to native adjectives for more than a thousand years, which is why it works so smoothly with a compound like this one. Because "carefree" is itself a compound of two very old words, "carefreeness" is a three-layered formation, though each layer is transparent to speakers.

Synonyms: lightheartedness, unconcern

Antonyms: worry, anxiety