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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:

The boards of both companies have approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter subject to customary closing conditions, they said.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 27, 2026

“There is nothing in this transaction that trips anything that would create cause for concern.”

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 25, 2026

“This is the fastest and clearest way to prove that this transaction is good for competition, good for consumers, and good for creators,” Paramount said.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 25, 2026

Ebitda fell 4.3% in the second quarter, or 3.2% when excluding transaction expenses.

From MarketWatch Jul. 24, 2026

I also let the boys handle the transaction.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling

Regulators are wrestling with the arrangements, which have led to a surge in “affiliated” transactions where the private-asset firms are managing the investments for their insurance units.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 26, 2026

The company claims to process more than 20 million transactions a day.

From Barron's Jul. 24, 2026

“There seems to be a ceiling on mortgage rates, even in this volatile environment, because transactions remain low and mortgage originators must price loans competitively to attract borrowers,” she said.

From MarketWatch Jul. 23, 2026

Since expanding the agency’s online services, DMV officials say more than 90% of transactions can be done online.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 23, 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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