actual
pronunciation
How to pronounce actual in British English:
UK [ˈæktʃuəl]
How to pronounce actual in American English:
US [ˈæktʃuəl]
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- Adjective:
- presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
- taking place in reality; not pretended or imitated
- being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
- of the nature of fact; having actual existence
- existing in fact whether with lawful authority or not
- being or existing at the present moment
Word Origin
- actual
- actual: [14] In common with act, action, etc, actual comes ultimately from Latin āctus, the past participle of the verb agere ‘do, perform’. In late Latin an adjective āctuālis was formed from the noun āctus, and this passed into Old French as actuel. English borrowed it in this form, and it was not until the 15th century that the spelling actual, based on the original Latin model, became general. At first its meaning was simply, and literally, ‘relating to acts, active’; the current sense, ‘genuine’, developed in the mid 16th century.=> act, action
- actual (adj.)
- early 14c., "pertaining to an action," from Old French actuel "now existing, up to date" (13c.), from Late Latin actualis "active, pertaining to action," adjectival form of Latin actus (see act (n.)). The broader sense of "real, existing" (as opposed to potential, ideal, etc.) is from late 14c.
Antonym
Example
- 1. These figures may understate actual price declines .
- 2. We looked at the actual javascript performance using sunspider , and we were impressed .
- 3. Moreover , design priorities are based in actual data .
- 4. Looking at actual numbers adds to the confusion .
- 5. This week , the house will produce its counterpart bill , moving the prospect of actual legislation another stride closer .