actually
UK: ˈæk.tʃu.ə.li | US: ˈæk.tʃu.ə.li
adv. in fact; really (used to emphasize truth or correctness)
adv. used to introduce a surprising or contrasting fact
adv. informally, as a filler word to soften a statement
The word "actually" originates from the Latin actus (meaning "done" or "performed"), which evolved into the Late Latin actualis (pertaining to action). In Middle English, it entered as "actual" (meaning "real" or "existing in fact"), and the adverbial suffix "-ly" was later added to form "actually." Over time, its usage expanded from literal factual emphasis to include contrastive or softening functions in speech.
She didn’t actually see the accident; she just heard about it.
The project seemed simple, but it actually took months to complete.
"Are you upset?" "Actually, I’m fine."
He claims to be an expert, but he’s actually self-taught.
The movie was actually better than I expected.