The difference between Handbag and Purse

When used as nouns, handbag means a small bag used by women (or sometimes by men) for carrying various small personal items, whereas purse means a small bag for carrying money.

When used as verbs, handbag means figuratively, to hit with a handbag, whereas purse means to press (one's lips) in and together so that they protrude.

check bellow for the other definitions of Handbag and Purse

  1. Handbag as a noun (mainly Commonwealth):

    A small bag used by women (or sometimes by men) for carrying various small personal items.

  2. Handbag as a noun (uncountable):

    An subgenre of house music of the late 1980s, often with booming vocals.

  1. Handbag as a verb (British, transitive, humorous):

    Figuratively, to hit with a handbag; to attack verbally or subject to criticism (used of ).

  1. Purse as a noun:

    A small bag for carrying money.

  2. Purse as a noun (US):

    A handbag (small bag usually used by women for carrying various small personal items)

  3. Purse as a noun:

    A quantity of money given for a particular purpose.

  4. Purse as a noun (historical):

    A specific sum of money in certain countries: formerly 500 piastres in Turkey or 50 tomans in Persia.

  1. Purse as a verb (transitive):

    To press (one's lips) in and together so that they protrude.

  2. Purse as a verb:

    To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles; to pucker; to knit.

  3. Purse as a verb:

    To put into a purse.

  4. Purse as a verb (intransitive, obsolete, rare):

    To steal purses; to rob.

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