purse
Americannoun
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Also called change purse. a small bag, pouch, or case for carrying money.
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anything resembling a purse in appearance, use, etc.
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a sum of money offered as a prize or reward.
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a sum of money collected as a present or the like.
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money, resources, or wealth.
verb (used with object)
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to contract into folds or wrinkles; pucker.
to purse one's lips.
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to put into a purse.
noun
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a small bag or pouch, often made of soft leather, for carrying money, esp coins
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a woman's handbag
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anything resembling a small bag or pouch in form or function
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wealth; funds
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a sum of money that is offered, esp as a prize
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of purse
First recorded before 1100; (noun) Middle English, Old English purs, blend of pusa “bag” (cognate with Old Norse posi ) and Medieval Latin bursa “bag” (ultimately from Greek býrsa “hide, leather”); (verb) Middle English pursen “to put in a purse,” derivative of the noun
Explanation
Though purses are mostly carried by women, this is the kind of purse anyone would love to bring home: it's a prize, usually consisting of money. The most common meaning of purse, as a woman's bag, can definitely help you remember the "prize" meaning of purse, because a woman who won a purse could carry her winnings in a purse. The non-bag type of purse is usually associated with sporting events: boxers and jockeys win purses. Other times, purse is used to describe money won in another context, like a photography contest. Another meaning is totally different: if you pucker or contract your lips, you're pursing them.
Vocabulary lists containing purse
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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.
Ronda Rousey says her fight with Gina Carano will set a new purse record for female fighters when they meet on Saturday.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
In November, parliament voted to replace a longstanding requirement to maintain a state surplus with a new balanced-budget rule, allowing the state to loosen its purse strings.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
“Treasurers emerged to protect the public purse from rulers, legislatures, and creditors alike, not to enable unchecked expansion,” his website states.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Sir James Cleverly said the practice was "an insult" and that "custodians of the public purse" had "an enhanced duty to make sure they're delivering value for money".
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
The policy at corporate was the Customer Is Always Right, though the customer was not usually the resident but the relatives who controlled the purse strings.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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.
