actuary

noun

ac·​tu·​ary ˈak-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce actuary (audio)
-shə-,
-ˌwe-rē-
plural actuaries
1
obsolete : clerk, registrar
2
: a person who calculates insurance and annuity premiums, reserves, and dividends

Examples of actuary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The law firm, Phillips & Cohen LLP, represented the whistleblower, a former Humana actuary. Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Sep. 2025 Social Security Commissioners usually are actuaries, statisticians or economists. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 28 Sep. 2025 Court said that compensation goes toward paying attorneys and actuaries — experts who try to hold their own against the powerful insurance industry. Calmatters, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025 Shkolnikov works with actuaries to design plans that allow business owners to make large, tax-deductible contributions—sometimes even using pension money to purchase real estate or other investments. Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for actuary

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin āctuārius "shorthand writer, keeper of accounts," alteration (with -u- from the u-stem action noun āctus) of *āctārius, from āctum "public transaction, record" + -ārius -ary entry 1 — more at act entry 1

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of actuary was in 1570

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Actuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/actuary. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

actuary

noun
ac·​tu·​ary ˈak-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce actuary (audio)
-shə-
plural actuaries
: a person who calculates insurance premiums and dividends
actuarial
ˌak-chə-ˈwer-ē-əl
adjective

Legal Definition

actuary

noun
ac·​tu·​ary ˈak-chə-ˌwer-ē, -shə- How to pronounce actuary (audio)
plural actuaries
: a person who calculates insurance and annuity premiums, reserves, and dividends

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