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actual

 - 5 dictionary results

ac⋅tu⋅al

  [ak-choo-uhl]
Use actual in a Sentence
–adjective
1. existing in act or fact; real: an actual case of heroism; actual expenses.
2. existing now; present; current: The ship's actual position is 22 miles due east of Miami.
3. Obsolete. pertaining to or involving acts or action.
Origin:
1275–1325; < LL āctuālis, equiv. to L āctu- (s. of action n. āctus; see act ) + -ālis -al 1 ; r. ME actuel < MF < L

Related forms:
ac⋅tu⋅al⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. genuine, authentic, veritable. See real 1 .

Antonyms:
1. unreal, fictional.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To actual
ac·tu·al   (āk'chōō-əl)   
adj.  

  1. Existing and not merely potential or possible. See Synonyms at real1.

  2. Being, existing, or acting at the present moment; current.

  3. Based on fact: an actual account of the accident.


[Middle English, from Old French, active, from Late Latin āctuālis, from Latin āctus, past participle of agere, to drive, do; see ag- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

actual 
c.1315, "pertaining to an action," from O.Fr. actuel "now existing, up to date," from L.L. actualis "active," adj. form of L. actus (see act). The broader sense of "real" (as opposed to potential, ideal, etc.) is due to infl. of Fr. actualite. Actually in the sense of "as a matter of fact, really" is attested from 1762.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Financial Dictionary

actual

In commodities, the physical asset (that is, the commodity) as opposed to a futures contract on that asset.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: ac·tu·al
Function: adjective
: existing in fact or reality —compare CONSTRUCTIVE —ac·tual·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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