英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

cautious (adj.)[cautious 词源字典]: 1640s, from caution + -ous. The Latin word for this was cautus "careful, heedful." Related: Cautiously; cautiousness.[cautious etymology, cautious origin, 英语词源]
eggshell (n.): also egg-shell, early 15c., from egg (n.) + shell (n.). It displaced ay-schelle (Old English ægscill), from the native word for "egg." As a color term, from 1894. Emblematic of "thin and delicate" from 1835; the figure of treading on eggshells "to move cautiously" is attested by 1734.
gingerly (adv.): "extremely cautiously" (of movements, etc.), c. 1600, earlier "elegantly, daintily" (1510s), of unknown origin. Perhaps [OED] from Old French gensor, comparative of gent "dainty, delicate," from Latin gentius "(well)-born" (see gentle). Meaning "extremely cautiously" is from c. 1600.
incautious (adj.): 1703, from in- (1) + cautious. Related: Incautiously.
over-cautious (adj.): 1706, from over- + cautious. Related: Over-cautiously; over-cautiousness.
precautious (adj.): 1680s, from precaution + -ous. Related: Precautiously; precautiousness.