What does purse mean?
A purse is a small bag for carrying money, keys, and other personal items, though the word can also refer metaphorically to a person's financial resources. For example, 'the family purse' means the money available to a household or family. As a verb, to purse means to search or hunt for something: investigators may purse a lead or suspect. In another relatively formal sense, to purse one's lips means to press them firmly together, often expressing displeasure, doubt, or concentration. The word is used in both British and American English, although in American English it can also mean a handbag more generally. A purse is distinct from a wallet, which is primarily a flat holder for money and cards, and its history is connected with the Latin word for a pouch or bag.
A small bag for carrying money and personal items, especially one carried in the hand or kept in a pocket.
"The keys were in the zippered compartment of her purse."
In American English, purse can also refer to a handbag more generally, especially a woman's purse.
A sum of money held or controlled by someone.
"The new policy placed a strain on the family's purse."
This sense is common in formal and literary English.
To search or hunt for something.
"The detective spent the afternoon purging the evidence for the stolen money."
This sense is relatively formal and is often used with a person, place, or clue as the object.
To draw the lips tightly together.
"He pursed his lips and said nothing."
Usually used in the expression 'purse one's lips.'
The regular plural is purses. When referring to money, the plural can also be used figuratively for several financial resources or holders of money.
"The visitors emptied their purses to pay for the museum tickets."
The word purse reaches beyond money bags: its Latin ancestor, bursa, also gave English the scholarly words bursar and bursary through the shared sense of a pouch or funding allocation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does purse come from?
English purse comes through Middle English from Old French purse, a borrowing of the Latin bursa, meaning a purse or pouch. Latin bursa also developed into words such as bursary, associated with a purse or endowment for education, and bursa, an anatomical pouch. The English verb meanings developed from the noun's historical sense of a bag that could be searched or emptied.
Related word forms
How purse is actually used
In the money sense, purse is especially common in formal and literary contexts, as in phrases such as 'the public purse' or 'a well-lined purse.' The verb sense 'to purse one's lips' is standard but less frequent than 'to purse' in the sense of searching.
Easily confused with purse
Pursue means to follow or try to achieve something, whereas purse means to search or hunt for it.
A purse is generally a small or medium handbag or pouch, while a wallet is a flat folding case for money, cards, and documents.