purse

purse — noun

1. A small folding container made of leather, fabric, or plastic, used mainly by wo

1.nounB1
Definition

A small folding container made of leather, fabric, or plastic, used mainly by women to carry coins, paper money, and sometimes cards.

Example

Anjali pulled a few coins from her purse to pay for the bus ticket.

possessive determiner + purse for coin context

Soraya's leather purse had a small metal clasp to keep it closed.

Common collocations
  • zip up one's purse
  • open one's purse
  • purse full of coins
  • leather purse
Synonyms
  • wallet

    usually flat and designed for notes and cards, more common for men

  • coin purse

    a very small pouch only for loose change

  • change purse

    American term for a small coin container

Usage Note

Commonly uses possessive determiners (her purse, my purse) in context. In American English this sense is less frequent; 'purse' more often refers to a handbag there.

Common Mistakes

I put my phone in my purse to carry it.' (if meaning a small coin purse).
I put my phone in my bag to carry it.
A small money purse is too tiny for a phone.

2. A bag with a handle or strap, used by women to carry personal items such as a ph

2.nounB1
Definition

A bag with a handle or strap, used by women to carry personal items such as a phone, keys, wallet, and makeup.

Example

Élise swung her purse over her shoulder and walked out the door.

swing over shoulder — carrying action

Lara's purse contained her phone, her keys, and a small notebook.

Common collocations
  • designer purse
  • shoulder purse
  • leather purse
  • open one's purse
  • rummage through one's purse
  • purse strap
Synonyms
  • handbag

    the standard British term for a woman's bag

  • shoulder bag

    a bag with a long strap worn over the shoulder

  • clutch

    a small flat handbag without a strap, held in the hand

Usage Note

This is the dominant meaning in American English, where 'handbag' is less common. In British English, 'handbag' is the usual term and 'purse' stays limited to the small money container sense.

Common Mistakes

He put his wallet in his purse.' (for a male).
He put his wallet in his pocket.
In most varieties of English, 'purse' suggests a woman's bag.

3. Money that a group, institution, or state keeps aside and is able to spend on it

3.nounB2
Definition

Money that a group, institution, or state keeps aside and is able to spend on its work.

Example

The school's purse is too small to pay for new computers this year.

organisation's purse — metaphorical ownership

The charity depends almost entirely on donations to fill its purse.

Common collocations
  • public purse
  • company purse
  • fill the purse
  • tighten the purse
Synonyms
  • funds

    more general, can be plural; no metaphorical container sense

  • budget

    implies a planned allocation of money, not just available money

  • coffers

    formal, typically used for government or institutional money

Usage Note

Almost always singular. Frequently modified by 'public' (public purse = government funds). The expression 'tighten the purse strings' (entry-level collocation) is a related metaphor for reducing spending.

Common Mistakes

The government purses are empty.' (plural).
The public purse is empty.
This sense is uncountable/singular; use 'public purse' or 'the purse of the organisation'.

4. A fixed sum of money awarded to the winner or divided among top competitors in a

4.nounC1
Definition

A fixed sum of money awarded to the winner or divided among top competitors in a sports event or contest.

Example

The winner of the boxing match received a purse of fifty thousand dollars.

purse of [amount] — sports prize pattern

The golf tournament offered a total purse of two million dollars this year.

total purse + amount

Common collocations
  • total purse
  • prize purse
  • increase the purse
  • winner's purse
  • purse money
Synonyms
  • prize money

    more general, used across all types of competitions

  • bonus

    extra money beyond a base prize, or a reward for performance

Usage Note

Common in boxing, golf, and horse racing. Usually the total prize pool available, not necessarily what a single winner takes home. 'Increase/raise the purse' is the typical verb collocation.

Common Mistakes

She won a purse of $500 at the lottery.
She won a prize of $500 at the lottery.
'Purse' as prize money is specific to sports competitions, not lotteries or game shows.
Idioms

(you can't) make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear

idiom

You cannot turn something of poor quality into something excellent.

Maya tried to fix the old bike, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Can we really make a silk purse out of a sow's ear with this cheap fabric?

purse — verb

Word family

  • purser
    nounC1
  • pursed
    adjectiveB2
  • pursing
    adjectiveC1
  • unpursed
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four describe containers for money, but they differ in size, gender association, and region. A 'purse' (noun/1) is a small folding container used mainly by women for coins and notes. A 'wallet' is usually flat and designed to hold paper money and cards; it is more commonly associated with men, though women also use wallets inside their handbags. A 'coin purse' (or 'change purse' in American English) is a very small pouch specifically for loose coins, not notes or cards. A 'pouch' is the broadest term — any small bag with a drawstring or zip, not necessarily for money. For example: 'Soraya dropped her change into the coin purse but kept her banknote in her wallet.'

wallet ↗coin pursepouch ↗change purse

Common collocations

Nouns

  • purse strings
  • purse snatcher
  • purse holder

Adverbs

  • tightly (verb: pursed tightly)

Phrases

  • hold the purse strings
  • tighten the purse strings
  • loosen the purse strings
  • the public purse

Prepositions

  • in one's purse
  • out of one's purse
  • from one's purse

Etymology

LatinMedieval LatinOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'purse' comes from Old English 'purs', meaning a small bag or pouch for carrying money. It was borrowed from Medieval Latin 'bursa', which meant a leather bag (and also gives us 'bursary' and 'reimburse'). The verb sense — 'to purse one's lips' — appeared in the early 1600s, based on the idea of drawing the mouth into a small round shape that looks like the drawstring opening of a money pouch.