# bursa

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbɜːsə/ · frequency rank #46,957

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. A diverticulum on the cloaca of young birds, which serves as a lymphatic organ and as part of the immune system, but which atrophies as the bird ages.
3. Any of various pouch-like organs for storing semen prior to copulation in the male or for receiving semen in the female.
4. A parament about twelve inches square in which the folded corporal is kept in for reasons of reverence.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Medieval Latin bursa (“purse”), from Ancient Greek βύρσα (búrsa); compare purse and bourse, which are doublets.

## Easily confused with
- **bus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-bus)
- **busy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-busy)
- **bush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-bush)
- **bust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-bust)
- **buys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-buys)
- **bury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-bury)
- **Burt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-burt)
- **buss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-buss)
- **burst** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-burst)
- **Busan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-busan)
- **busta** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-busta)
- **bursary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bursa-vs-bursary)
- **bra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bra-vs-bursa)
- **BSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bsa-vs-bursa)
- **bur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bur-vs-bursa)
- **burn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burn-vs-bursa)
- **bars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bars-vs-bursa)
- **bugs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bugs-vs-bursa)
- **buds** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buds-vs-bursa)
- **buns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buns-vs-bursa)

## Common misspellings (7)
`bbursa`, `brusa`, `buras`, `burrsa`, `burssa`, `busra`, `ubrsa`

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