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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pursesimple
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pursessimple
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have pursedperfect
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has pursedperfect
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am pursingprogressive
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are pursingprogressive
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is pursingprogressive
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have been pursingperfect progressive
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has been pursingperfect progressive
Past
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pursedsimple
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had pursedperfect
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was pursingprogressive
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were pursingprogressive
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had been pursingperfect progressive
Future
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
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Lingo of Body Language
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Ghost Boys
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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.
Early doesn’t run like the Wayans brothers, dressed like women, trying to retrieve a stolen purse in “White Chicks.”
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026
Rousey, who chose to fight on an MVP card rather than the UFC because of fight purse demands, reacted to news of the viewing figures by targeting UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
In 2015, purse sales stagnated because customers grew tired of heavily logoed looks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
Even without the full back story, I knew its true provenance was my mom’s purse.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Gia set a fat coin purse on his table.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
