# bursa vs bursary

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### bursa
*noun · IPA /ˈbɜːsə/ · frequency rank #46,957*
Any of the many small fluid-filled sacs located at the point where a muscle or tendon slides across bone. These sacs serve to reduce friction between the two moving surfaces.

### bursary
*noun · IPA /ˈbɝsɚi/ · frequency rank #48,108*
A monetary award to university students that allows them to continue their studies.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-bursary
