Where does “purse” come from?
purse (Middle English) comes from Old English purs, from Old English burse, from Late Latin bursa, from Ancient Greek βύρσα — the skin stripped off a hide, leather; the skin...
Ancestry of “purse”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | purs | purse, leather bag; wallet, scrip |
| 2 | Old English | burse | pouch, bag |
| 3 | Late Latin | bursa | hide, purse; purse, hide |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βύρσα | the skin stripped off a hide, leather; the skin... |
Words derived from “purse”