actuary

UK: /ˈæktʃuəri/ US: /ˈæktʃuˌɛri/ ,(ak′cho̅o̅ er′ē)

Inflections of 'actuary' (n): npl: actuaries

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ac•tu•ary /ˈæktʃuˌɛri/   n. [countable] , pl. -ar•ies. 

1. Business a person who computes insurance premium rates, dividends, risks, etc., based on statistical data.

ac•tu•ar•i•al /ˌæktʃuˈɛriəl/  adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ac•tu•ary  (ak′cho̅o̅ er′ē), n., pl. -ar•ies. 

1. Business [Insurance.] a person who computes premium rates, dividends, risks, etc., according to probabilities based on statistical records.
2. Business (formerly) a registrar or clerk.

• Latin āctuārius shorthand writer, clerk, variant (with u of the action noun, nominal āctus act) of āctārius (āct(a) deeds, documents + -ārius -ary)
• 1545–55;

ac•tu•ar•i•al  (ak′cho̅o̅ âr′ē əl), ac′tu•ar′i•an, adj.  ac′tu•ar′i•al•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

actuary / ˈæktʃʊərɪ/ noun ( -aries)

1. a person qualified to calculate commercial risks and probabilities involving uncertain future events, esp in such contexts as life assurance

Etymology: 16th Century: (meaning: registrar): from Latin āctuārius one who keeps accounts, from actum public business, and acta documents, deeds. See act, -ary

actuarial / ˌæktʃʊˈɛərɪəl/ adjective

actuarially / ˌæktʃʊˈɛərɪəlɪ/ adverb