actual

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂éǵeti
2. Latin · derived fromactus“act, action, performance”
3. Late Latin · derived fromactuālis“active, practical”
4. Anglo-Norman · derived fromactuel
5. Middle English · derived fromactual
6. English todayactual

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.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. relating to a person's acts or deeds; active, practical
• from 14th c. Existing in reality, not just potentially; really acted or acting; occurring in fact.
• from 18th c. in action at the time being; now existing; current.
• from 18th c. Used as intensifier to emphasise a following noun; exact, specific, very.