Purse Definition

pûrs

pursed, purses, pursing

noun

purses

A usually closable bag used for carrying keys, a wallet, and other personal items, especially by women; a handbag.

American Heritage

A small bag or pouch for carrying money.

Webster's New World

Financial resources; money.

Webster's New World

Anything like a purse in shape, use, etc.

Webster's New World

A woman's handbag.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

verb

pursed, purses, pursing

To put in a purse.

Webster's New World

To gather into small folds.

Webster's New World

To draw (the lips) tightly together, as in disapproval.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Purse

Singular:

purse

Plural:

purses

Old English pusa comes from Proto-Germanic *pusô (“bag, sack, scrip"), from Proto-Indo-European *bÅ«s- (“to swell, stuff"), and is cognate with Old High German pfoso (“pouch, purse"), Low German pÅ«se (“purse, bag"), Old Norse posi (“purse, bag"), Danish pose (“purse, bag"). Old English burse comes from Medieval Latin bursa (“leather bag") (compare English bursar), from Ancient Greek βύρσα (bursa, “hide, wine-skin").

From Wiktionary
From Middle English, from Old English purs (“purse"), partly from Old English pusa (“wallet, bag, scrip"), and partly from Old English burse (“pouch, bag").

From Wiktionary
Compare also Old French borse (French: bourse), Old Saxon bursa (“bag"), Old High German burissa (“wallet").

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old English from Late Latin bursa bursa

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition