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transaction

American  
[tran-sak-shuhn, -zak-] / trænˈsæk ʃən, -ˈzæk- /

noun

  • transactions
    plural
  1. the act of transacting or the fact of being transacted.

  2. an instance or process of transacting something.

    Synonyms:
    affair, venture, enterprise, bargain, deal
  3. something that is transacted, especially a business agreement.

  4. 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.

  5. transactions, the published records of the proceedings, as papers read, addresses delivered, or discussions, at the meetings of a learned society or the like.


transaction British  
/ trænˈzækʃən /

noun

  1. something that is transacted, esp a business deal or negotiation

  2. the act of transacting or the state of being transacted

  3. (plural) the published records of the proceedings of a society, conference, etc

  4. (in business computing) the act of obtaining and paying for an item or service

  5. (in general computing) the transmission and processing of an item of data

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing transaction

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:

“If you are not invested in the stock market, the transaction tax won’t affect you. If you not are bequesting money to family, that taxation may not affect you,” Schwabish said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

AI can monitor trends across transactions and interactions, such as declining engagement and changes in transaction patterns, to identify early signs of churn.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

Uber said the ezCater transaction is expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

The $111-billion transaction culminated a year-long battle by the 43-year-old tech scion to add Warner Bros.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Even when circumstances require that there be winners and losers, the transaction is not necessarily a combat.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

In total, the Zedcex account had made almost $830 million in transactions, including $56 million in withdrawals to wallets that Israel’s defense ministry said last September belonged to the IRGC, the Binance report showed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The first red flag was transactions with an Iranian money changer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

They’re using AI to prepare for a world in which more transactions are done by agents.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

AI can monitor trends across transactions and interactions, such as declining engagement and changes in transaction patterns, to identify early signs of churn.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

As it happens, economists have a curious habit of affixing numbers to complicated transactions.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

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