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

The primary driver of this rate decrease, which is expected to begin in fiscal year 2028-29, is CalPERS phasing in its investment gains from 2024 and 2025, said Nina Ramsey, an actuary supervisor. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026

The Social Security Administration’s actuaries have found repealing the retirement earnings test will ultimately reduce trust fund costs, Adcock said. —Lorie Konish, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026

Nancy Watkins, a principal and actuary with consulting firm Milliman in San Francisco, said one of the report’s most important recommendations is statewide coordination of efforts to reduce wildfire threats through home hardening and removing flammable materials around buildings. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026

My high school biology teacher told me to become an actuary. —Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026

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

• abc
• absentee
• addressee
• adoptee
• agouti
• allottee
• amphorae
• amputee
• apc
• apogee
• appointee
• assessee

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