Meaning

adjective presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

adjective taking place in reality; not pretended or imitated

adjective being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something; ; - G.K.Chesterton

originFrom Middle English actual, actuel (“active”), from Anglo-Norman actuel, actual, and its source Late Latin actuālis (“active, practical”), from Latin actus (“act, action, performance”), from agere (“to do; to act”) + -alis (“-al”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti, from the root *h₂eǵ-. By surface analysis, act + -u- + -al.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0