actuary

noun

ac·​tu·​ary ˈak-chə-ˌwer-ē 

-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

While most actuaries work in the insurance industry, evaluating the likelihood of events such as property damage, loss, injury, illness, or death, many also work in finance and investments. —Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025

But even the most useless actuary would advise you against opening a newsstand. —Nathan King, airmail.news, 20 Apr. 2024

The San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System actuary reports that the average annual pension for a retired San Diego employee is about $56,500. —Chris Brewster, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025

By requiring the disclosure of these actuaries, Treasury will in many cases be able to more quickly identify those microcaptive transactions which require greater scrutiny. —Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025

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

Rhymes for actuary

• antiquary
• bolsheviki
• calliope
• chelicerae
• covenantee
• cruciferae
• diastole
• distributee
• hyperbole
• interviewee
• origami
• phonology

Kids Definition

actuary

noun

ac·​tu·​ary ˈak-chə-ˌwer-ē 

-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- 

plural actuaries

: a person who calculates insurance and annuity premiums, reserves, and dividends