actuary

American  

[ak-choo-er-ee] / ˈæk tʃuˌɛr i /

noun

plural

actuaries

1. Insurance. a person who computes premium rates, dividends, risks, etc., according to probabilities based on statistical records.

2. (formerly) a registrar or clerk.

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actuary British  

/ ˌæktʃʊˈɛərɪəl, ˈæktʃʊərɪ /

noun

1. a person qualified to calculate commercial risks and probabilities involving uncertain future events, esp in such contexts as life assurance

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actuary Cultural  

1. A mathematician who uses statistics to calculate insurance premiums.

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Other Word Forms

• actuarial adjective
• actuarian adjective

Etymology

Origin of actuary

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin āctuārius “shorthand writer, clerk,” variant (with u of the action noun āctus act ) of āctārius ( āct(a) “deeds, documents” + -ārius -ary )

Compare meaning

How does actuary compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• actuary vs. accountant

Example Sentences

“If we lived in a world run by actuaries, we’d still be in caves.”

From The Wall Street Journal

CMS staff actuaries calculate expected growth rates for costs, and the numbers came in below what many analysts had expected this time.

From The Wall Street Journal

A main reason the proposed rates fall short of Wall Street analysts’ estimates is tied to federal staff actuaries’ calculation of spending growth, which is tied to costs in the traditional Medicare program.

From The Wall Street Journal

Knowing that he’s a senior partner at an actuary firm and has an analytical mind, I was eager to hear his strategy for airline frequent-flyer status.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Stroup is a healthcare actuary and the former chief financial officer of Verity Solutions, a healthcare software provider.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• analyst
• auditor
• bookkeeper
• clerk