purse

CEFRA2

/pɜːs/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A small bag used for carrying money and personal items.

  2. 02

    verb

    To tighten your lips into a small rounded shape.

Examples

  • I had my purse and commutation ticket stolen while I was sleeping on the train.

  • I lost my purse on my way to school.

At a glance

Sits at A2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A handbag (small bag usually used by women for carrying various small personal items)

  2. A quantity of money given for a particular purpose.

  3. A small bag for carrying money.

More examples

In context

  • Oh dear! I think I've lost my purse!

  • Master leathercrafter does handcrafted wallets, belts, purses, handbags etc., supporting self and helpers. Good enough to carve fantst art and portraits into leather.

  • And then muſt many a man occupie as farre as his purſe would reache, and ſtretche out his legges accordynge to the length of his couerlet.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

She carried a small leather blank to hold only her money and driver's license.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English purs, from Old English purs (“purse”), partly from pusa (“wallet, bag, scrip”) and partly from burse (“pouch, bag”). Old English pusa comes from Proto-West Germanic *pusō, from Proto-Germanic *pusô (“bag, sack, scrip”), and is cognate with Old High German pfoso (“pouch, purse”), Low German pūse (“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 (búrsa, “hide, wine-skin”). Compare also Old French borse (French bourse), Old Saxon bursa (“bag”), Old High German burissa (“wallet”).