noun
Common
transaction
tran-ZAK-shuhn
Transaction (noun) means an exchange or deal, especially involving money, goods, or business. Example: “Every transaction at the till is recorded on a receipt.”
noun
1
An exchange or deal, especially involving money, goods, or business.
"Every transaction at the till is recorded on a receipt."
"The bank flagged the transaction as suspicious."
"They completed the property transaction within a month."
2
(computing) An operation that either completes fully or has no effect at all, used to keep data consistent.
"If any step fails, the whole transaction is cancelled and the data stays unchanged."
"The programmer wrapped the two updates in one transaction so they would succeed or fail together."
"The database rolled back the transaction after the server crashed."
How to use transaction
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA deal, purchase, or exchange, whether it's cash at a till or data in a computer system.
Common pairings
a financial transaction
process a transaction
transaction fee
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Word forms
- Plural
- transactions
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Every _____ at the till is recorded on a receipt.
Etymology
From Middle French "transaction," ultimately from Late Latin "transactio," built from "trans-" plus "action."
Related words
Rhymes for transaction
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for transaction →
Frequently asked questions
What does “transaction” mean?
The word “transaction” means an exchange or deal, especially involving money, goods, or business. In plain terms, a deal, purchase, or exchange, whether it's cash at a till or data in a computer system.
How do you pronounce “transaction”?
“Transaction” is pronounced tran-ZAK-shuhn (/tɹænˈzækʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “transaction” in a sentence?
Here is “transaction” used in a sentence: “The bank flagged the transaction as suspicious.”
What part of speech is “transaction”?
“Transaction” is a noun.
Where does the word “transaction” come from?
The word “transaction” comes from Late Latin. From Middle French "transaction," ultimately from Late Latin "transactio," built from "trans-" plus "action.".
Is “transaction” a common word?
“Transaction” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “transaction” have?
“Transaction” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an exchange or deal, especially involving money, goods, or business.
What is the difference between a transaction and a transfer?
A transaction is any exchange or deal between parties, especially one involving money, goods, or business, and it can flow in either direction. A transfer is one specific kind of transaction that moves money or an asset from one account or owner to another. Every transfer is a transaction, but not every transaction is a transfer.
What words commonly go with transaction?
Transaction frequently pairs with verbs like complete, process, record, and cancel, as in "complete a transaction" or "cancel the transaction." Common noun collocations include a business transaction, a financial transaction, a cash transaction, and transaction fee or transaction history.
Is transaction a formal or informal word?
Transaction is fairly formal and is standard in business, banking, legal, and computing contexts. In casual speech people are more likely to say deal, purchase, or payment for an everyday exchange of money or goods.
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