Where does “purse” come from?
Purse comes from Middle English purse, from Old English purs, from Old English pusa, from Proto-Germanic pusô, ultimately of unknown origin.
purse (English): A small bag for carrying money; A handbag; A...
Definitions
- A small bag for carrying money; A handbag; A...
Ancestry of “purse”, step by step
purse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English purse
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | purse | — |
| 2 | Old English | purs | purse, leather bag; wallet, scrip |
| 3 | Old English | burse | pouch, bag |
| 4 | Late Latin | bursa | hide, purse; purse, hide |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | βύρσα | the skin stripped off a hide, leather; the skin... |
via Middle English purs
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | purs | bag, sack, pouch |
| 2 | Old English | pusa | purse, bag, scrip |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | pusô | bag, sack, scrip |
Words derived from “purse”