transaction
Americannoun
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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:
"Such systems are often designed to make just a tiny profit on each transaction, but through sheer speed and volume, they can generate large returns for their firms," it adds.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Nine years of FLAG’s federal filings contain no transaction consistent with a $1,000,000 payment.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026
Because I used a debit card for the transaction, I have since canceled it, and my credit is now frozen across all three bureaus.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
If you got a time slot to purchase tickets during the presale, your transaction must be completed with a Visa card.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
During the entire transaction, which takes place in a warehouse where perhaps thirty people of both sexes are sorting through bins of used clothing, no one makes eye contact with me.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
It has reviewed thousands of transactions, but presidents have needed to block fewer than a dozen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Some of the firm’s largest transactions were driven by some of the youngest partners of the firm, according to sources within the firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
But even then, many of those funds had restrictions on how many transactions you could make in any given period.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
Its wealth management division recorded a 13 percent increase in revenue, supported by fees generated from client transactions.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
In addition to trying conventional law cases, Witkin, Sidelsky and Eidelman oversaw real estate transactions for African customers.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
