Where does “actually” come from?
actually (Middle English) comes from Middle English actual, from Anglo-Norman actuel, from Old French actual, from Latin actuālis, from Latin āctus, from Latin agō, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti — to drive.
actually (Middle English): actually, truly
Definitions
- actually, truly
Ancestry of “actually”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | actual | actual, real, true |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | actuel | — |
| 3 | Old French | actual | — |
| 4 | Latin | actuālis | active, practical |
| 5 | Latin | āctus | made, done, having been done |
| 6 | Latin | agō | to act, to behave |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |