transaction
Americannoun
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transactions
plural
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the act of transacting or the fact of being transacted.
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an instance or process of transacting something.
- Synonyms:
- affair, venture, enterprise, bargain, deal
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something that is transacted, especially a business agreement.
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Psychology. an interaction of an individual with one or more other persons, especially as influenced by their assumed relational roles of parent, child, or adult.
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transactions, the published records of the proceedings, as papers read, addresses delivered, or discussions, at the meetings of a learned society or the like.
noun
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something that is transacted, esp a business deal or negotiation
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the act of transacting or the state of being transacted
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(plural) the published records of the proceedings of a society, conference, etc
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(in business computing) the act of obtaining and paying for an item or service
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(in general computing) the transmission and processing of an item of data
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of transaction
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin trānsāctiōn- (stem of trānsāctiō ) “completion, transaction”; see transact, -ion
Explanation
A transaction is any kind of action involved in conducting business, or an interaction between people. When you go to the bank, fill out a form, and deposit your paycheck, you make a transaction. An important business deal can be called a transaction, particularly the buying or selling of goods, but you can call any exchange with another person a transaction. There are transactions involving money, ideas, and even e-mail. The Latin root transactionem describes an agreement or accomplishment. This led to a mid-15th century version of transaction that described the adjustment of a dispute.
Vocabulary lists containing transaction
Chains
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Economics
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"Say It with Flowers" and "The Journey"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He views Ellison’s pledge to make 30 movies a year post-merger as insufficient and unenforceable once the transaction closes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Banks typically protect up to $250,000 in consumer accounts with insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation — a safety net that most peer-to-peer transaction apps lack.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
"We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction," the statement read.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
The extension of memory beyond the individual lawyer to multiuser matters and spaces such as cases, transaction rooms and clients is already under development, she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Wello would manage the transaction from the boat.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
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Inside Walter’s conglomerate, TWG Global, a conduit between both sides of the transactions was Rich Moore, people familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Insurance regulators and federal investigators are looking into whether certain financial transactions between various entities controlled by Walter were properly disclosed to investors and compiled with regulations designed to protect them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The measures bar Akane and Seye from entering the United States and from carrying out transactions in the US financial system.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Chief financial officer John David Rainey said those lower prices were already lifting transactions and unit sales, especially in food and other staples like toys.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
They would leave with the bag tucked out of sight, sometimes drawing furtive, disapproving glances from those who knew about the store’s reputation for such transactions.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.