actual
/ˈækʃuəl/ adjective, noun
Forms actuals
- adjective (chiefly theology) relating to a person's acts or deeds; active, practical
- adjective Existing in reality, not just potentially; really acted or acting; occurring in fact. “the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion”
- adjective (now rare or non-native speakers' English) in action at the time being; now existing; current.
- adjective Used as intensifier to emphasise a following noun; exact, specific, very.
- noun (finance) something actually received; real receipts, as distinct from estimated ones.
- noun (military) a radio callsign modifier that specifies the commanding officer of the unit or asset denoted by the remainder of the callsign and not the officer's assistant or other designee. “Bravo Six Actual, this is Charlie One. Come in, over.”
- noun (uncountable) Reality, usually with the definite article.
Synonyms
real effective present positive existent genuine literal factual
Antonyms
potential possible virtual speculative conceivable theoretical nominal hypothetical estimated
Etymology
From Middle English actual, actuel (“active”), from Anglo-Norman actuel, actual, and its source Late Latin actuālis (“active, practical”), from Latin actus (“act, action, performance”), from agere (“to do; to act”) + -alis (“-al”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti, from the root *h₂eǵ-. By surface analysis, act + -u- + -al.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Involving or comprising action; active. [Obs.]
- adjective Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; --opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, coceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion.
- noun Something actually received; real, as distinct from estimated, receipts. [Cant]
Etymology [OE. actuel, F. actuel, L. actualis, fr. agere to do, act.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “actual”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details