bursa
1 Americannoun
plural
bursae, bursasnoun
noun
-
a small fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between movable parts of the body, esp at joints
-
zoology any saclike cavity or structure
noun
plural
bursaeOther Word Forms
- bursal adjective
- bursate adjective
- postbursal adjective
Etymology
Origin of bursa
First recorded in 1795–1805; from New Latin, Late Latin bursa “bag, pouch, purse,” from Greek býrsa “hide, leather”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
McVay said a few days later that a bursa sac in Nacua’s knee had burst.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2024
Uninjured tendons in the shoulder frequently degenerate over time after the initial injury, and "the animal data imply that retaining the bursa may prevent or delay progression of this pathology."
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024
If the bursa is not removed, the tissue could be used to deliver drugs to the repaired tendon to improve healing.
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024
Small fluid-filled sacs called bursa, which normally cushion the joint, may instead swell and ache.
From New York Times • Dec. 29, 2022
The growth of parasitic fungi will produce a similar result, as is often seen in the common shepherd's purse, Thlaspi bursa pastoris, and other Cruciferæ.
From Vegetable Teratology An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants by Masters, Maxwell T.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.