actual

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   real and existing in fact, rather than imagined or guessed

   The actual cost was much higher than we expected.

2. 2
   adj

   used to emphasise the exact or specific thing being talked about

   I knew the building was old, but I'd never seen the actual house.

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.

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