# purchase

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɝ.t͡ʃəs/ · frequency rank #2,011

## Definitions
1. The acquisition of title to, or property in, anything for a price; buying for money or its equivalent.
2. That which is obtained for a price in money or its equivalent.
3. That which is obtained, got or acquired, in any manner, honestly or dishonestly; property; possession; acquisition.
4. The act or process of seeking and obtaining something (e.g. property, etc.)
5. A price paid for a house or estate, etc. equal to the amount of the rent or income during the stated number of years.
6. Any mechanical hold or advantage, applied to the raising or removing of heavy bodies, as by a lever, a tackle or capstan.
7. The apparatus, tackle or device by which such mechanical advantage is gained and (in nautical terminology) the ratio of such a device, like a pulley, or block and tackle.
8. The amount of hold one has from an individual foothold or ledge.
9. Acquisition of lands or tenements by means other than descent or inheritance, namely, by one's own act or agreement.

## Etymology
From Middle English purchasen, from Anglo-Norman purchacer (“seek to obtain”) from pur- (from Latin pro-) + chac(i)er (“to chase, pursue”). Compare Old French porchacier (“to follow, to chase”), which has given French pourchasser (“to chase without relent”).

## Easily confused with
- **purchased** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/purchase-vs-purchased)
- **purchaser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/purchase-vs-purchaser)

## Common misspellings (12)
`ppurchase`, `pruchase`, `pucrhase`, `purcahse`, `purcchase`, `purchaes`, `purchasse`, `purchhase`, `purchsae`, `purhcase`, `purrchase`, `uprchase`

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