bursar
Americannoun
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a treasurer or business officer, especially of a college or university.
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(in the Middle Ages) a university student.
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Chiefly Scot. a student attending a university on a scholarship.
noun
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an official in charge of the financial management of a school, college, or university
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a student holding a bursary
Other Word Forms
- underbursar noun
Etymology
Origin of bursar
1400–50; < Medieval Latin bursārius a purse-keeper, treasurer ( bursa, -ar 2 ); replacing late Middle English bouser, variant of bourser < Anglo-French; Old French borsier
Explanation
A bursar is the head of a college's financial office. When you pay your tuition for the semester, you'll send the money to the bursar. Colleges, universities, and private schools have bursars, who are responsible for the finances of the school. The bursar's job might include balancing the books, sending bills to students and their families, and receiving payments. You could also call the bursar the controller or the treasurer. The word comes from the Medieval Latin bursarius, "purse-bearer," from bursa, or "purse."
Vocabulary lists containing bursar
The Vocabulary of College
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I Will Always Write Back
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The Secret History
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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.
While her unlikely role as the quiet bursar to anti-immigration organizations has been previously reported, her motivation and engagement in the immigration issue remained largely hidden.
From New York Times • Aug. 14, 2019
O is currently covered under IU student health insurance, which I pay for out of his bursar account.
From Slate • Jan. 8, 2019
College bursar David Ball said he was "really pleased" with the result.
From BBC • Sep. 29, 2018
Known as Sister Stefanie, she worked as a secretary and bursar of the mission's school for over 50 years.
From US News • Apr. 29, 2015
Obinze told her nothing would happen, suggested she speak to the bursar about getting on a payment plan so that she would at least have taken some action.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
