# cutpurse

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkʌtˌpɜːs/

## Definitions
1. A thief who steals from others' purses or pockets in public.

## Etymology
From Middle English cutte-purs; equivalent to cut + purse: originally, purses were worn by a strap at the girdle, which the thief would cut.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cutpurse