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Origin and history of actually

actually(adv.)

early 15c., "in fact, in reality" (as opposed to "in possibility"), from actual + -ly (2). The meaning "actively, vigorously" is from mid-15c.; that of "at this time, at present" is from 1660s. As an intensive added to a statement and suggesting "as a matter of fact, really, in truth" it is attested from 1762, often used as an expression of mild wonder or surprise.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to actually

actual(adj.)

early 14c., "pertaining to acts or an action;" late 14c. in the broader sense of "real, existing" (as opposed to potential, ideal, etc.); from Old French actuel "now existing, up to date" (13c.), from Late Latin actualis "active, pertaining to action," adjectival form of Latin actus "a doing" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move").

-ly(2)

common adverbial suffix, forming, from adjectives, adverbs signifying "in a manner denoted by" the adjective; Middle English -li, from Old English -lice, from Proto-Germanic *-liko- (source also of Old Frisian -like, Old Saxon -liko, Dutch -lijk, Old High German -licho, German -lich, Old Norse -liga, Gothic -leiko). See -ly (1). It is cognate with lich, and identical with like (adj.).

Weekley notes as "curious" that Germanic uses a word essentially meaning "body" for the adverbial formation, while Romanic uses one meaning "mind" (as in French constamment from Latin constanti mente). The modern English form emerged in late Middle English, probably from influence of Old Norse -liga.

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    really
    c. 1400, "actually, in fact, in a real manner," originally in reference to the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, "substantially," from real (adj.) + -ly (2). The general sense is from early 15c. Purely emphatic use dates from c. 1600, "indeed," sometimes as a corroboration, so
    euhemerism
    B.C.E.), who wrote "Iera Anagraphe," in which he maintained the Greek deities actually were historical mortals....
    benzoin
    , from French benjoin (16c.), which comes via Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian from Arabic luban jawi "incense of Java" (actually...
    exist
    "to have actual being of any kind, actually be at a certain moment or throughout a certain period of time," c. 1600, from...
    tuffet
    Sat on a tuffet And made of her knees such display That the old fashioned spider, Embarrassed beside her, Was actually...
    ploy
    self-help manuals in books such as 1947's "The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship: Or the Art of Winning Games Without Actually...
    spokesman
    An irregular formation from spoke, past tense of speak (actually a back-formation from spoken) + man (n.)....
    reality
    1540s, "quality of being real, objective reality," from French réalité and directly from Medieval Latin realitatem (nominative realitas), from Late Latin realis (see real (adj.)). Also compare realty, which was the older form of the word in the sense of "reality" (mid-15c.). Mean
    conversion
    mid-14c., originally of religion, "a radical and complete change in spirit, purpose, and direction of life away from sin and toward love of God," from Old French conversion "change, transformation, entry into religious life; way of life, behavior; dwelling, residence; sexual inte
    radical
    late 14c., "originating in the root or ground;" of body parts or fluids, "vital to life," from Latin radicalis "of or having roots," from Latin radix (genitive radicis) "root" (from PIE root *wrād- "branch, root"). The basic sense of the word in all meanings is "pertaining or rel

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