purse

UK: /ˈpɜː^rs/ US: /pɝs/ ,(pûrs)

Inflections of 'purse' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

purses

v 3rd person singular

pursing

v pres p

pursed

v past

pursed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

purse /pɜrs/   n., v., pursed, purs•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a woman's handbag or pocketbook.
2. a small container for carrying money:
   a change purse.
3. a sum of money offered as a prize or collected as a gift:
   a purse of $50,000 as first prize.

v. [~ + object]

4. to pucker:
   to purse one's lips.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

purse  (pûrs), n., v., pursed, purs•ing. 
n. 

1. a woman's handbag or pocketbook.
2. a small bag, pouch, or case for carrying money.
3. anything resembling a purse in appearance, use, etc.
4. a sum of money offered as a prize or reward.
5. a sum of money collected as a present or the like.
6. money, resources, or wealth.

v.t. 

7. to contract into folds or wrinkles;
   pucker:
   to purse one's lips.
8. to put into a purse.

• bef. 1100; (noun, nominal) Middle English, Old English purs, blend of, blended pusa bag (cognate with Old Norse posi) and Medieval Latin bursa bag ( Greek býrsa hide, leather); (verb, verbal) Middle English pursen to put in a purse, derivative of the noun, nominal

purse′less, adj. 
purse′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

purse / pɜːs/ noun

1. a small bag or pouch, often made of soft leather, for carrying money, esp coins
2. a handbag
3. anything resembling a small bag or pouch in form or function
4. wealth; funds
5. a sum of money that is offered, esp as a prize

verb

1. (transitive) to contract (the mouth, lips, etc) into a small rounded shape

Etymology: Old English purs, probably from Late Latin bursa bag, ultimately from Greek: leather