The word "actual" is spelled with four letters and three syllables. The first syllable is pronounced with the short "a" sound, as in "cat" (/ˈæk/), the second syllable is pronounced with a long "t" sound, as in "tea" (/tʃu/), and the third syllable is pronounced with a schwa sound, as in "about" (/əl/). The phonetic transcription of "actual" is /ˈæk.tʃu.əl/. It is important to accurately spell words like "actual" to ensure clarity and effective communication in written language.
Actual is an adjective that describes something that exists in reality or in fact, as opposed to being imagined, hypothetical, or theoretical. It pertains to the state of being true, genuine, or real, rather than being perceived or purported. It is used to emphasize the concrete or objective nature of something, in contrast to its possible alternatives or potential variations.
In a broader sense, actual can refer to events, circumstances, or conditions that are currently happening or occurring, rather than being hypothetical or imagined. It signifies the authentic state of affairs at a given moment, without any distortion or modification.
Additionally, actual is used to express the genuine or precise value, measurement, or amount of something, demonstrating a lack of estimation or approximation. It denotes the concretely determined or known aspect of a particular quality or quantity.
Moreover, actual can be utilized in the context of a comparison, denoting the true or desired outcome as opposed to a presumed or expected one. It highlights the real or achieved situation, disregarding any postulations or hypotheses.
In summary, actual pertains to the existence of something in reality, the current state of affairs, the genuine or accurate value of something, or the true outcome of a comparison. It emphasizes the objective or real nature of a given object, situation, or event, setting it apart from anything theoretical, imagined, or supposed.
Real, existent, active, not potential.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word actual originated from the Latin word actualis, which is derived from the noun actus meaning a doing, act, or action. It can be traced back to the verb agere meaning to do, drive, or act. The English word actual has retained its basic meaning of real or existing in fact while also encompassing notions of present, current, or up-to-date.