Transaction Definition, Usage & Real-Life Examples

Meaning 1：business deal (transaction)

transaction 🔊

/trænˈzækʃən/

An act of buying or selling something, such as when you pay for items in a store.

Transaction illustrated by a person paying for coffee with a smartphone at a payment terminal

business deal 🔊

➕

/ˈbɪznɪs diːl/

A transaction is an act of buying or selling something, typically involving an exchange between parties.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'trans-' (across) and 'agere' (to do), meaning an act carried out.

💡 Mnemonic

Think TRANSfer + ACTION: a transaction involves transferring something through an action, like buying or selling.

📖 Example

I made a quick transaction at the bakery to buy some fresh bread. 🔊 I made a quick transaction at the bakery to buy some fresh bread.

🔗 Collocations

financial transaction – an exchange involving monetary assets

business transaction – a commercial deal between parties

online transaction – a purchase or sale conducted over the internet

🔄 Synonyms

deal (n.) – an agreement or arrangement, especially in business

exchange (n.) – the act of giving one thing and receiving another

trade (n.) – the action of buying and selling goods and services

🚫 Antonyms

gift (n.) – something given voluntarily without payment

donation (n.) – a contribution given freely to a cause

🌱 Derivatives

transact (v.) – to carry out or conduct business

transactional (adj.) – relating to or involving transactions

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'transactio', from 'transigere' (to drive through, to accomplish). In modern English, it is a key term in business, finance, and law, referring to any completed exchange of goods, services, or money.