bursa

noun

bur·​sa ˈbər-sə How to pronounce bursa (audio)
plural bursas ˈbər-səz How to pronounce bursa (audio) or bursae ˈbər-ˌsē How to pronounce bursa (audio) -ˌsī How to pronounce bursa (audio)
: a bodily pouch or sac: such as
a
: a small serous sac between a tendon and a bone
bursal adjective

Examples of bursa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bursitis in the hip generally affects one of two major bursae: the greater trochanteric bursa and the iliopsoas bursa.11 The greater trochanteric bursa covers the bony point of the hip. Lindsay Curtis, Health, 31 Oct. 2024 McVay confirmed that Nacua will be week-to-week after landing on a bursa sac (a small fluid pocket in the knee) and bursting it during Sunday’s joint practice. Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 7 Aug. 2024 Nacua would miss a good amount of training camp due to the bursa sack, and would eventually return on Aug. 26. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 McVay said a few days later that a bursa sac in Nacua’s knee had burst. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024 Potential Causes of Elbow Joint Pain Elbow joint pain can have various causes, including injury to muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, or bursae. Brandi Jones, Msn-Ed, Health, 12 July 2024 If traumatized, the bursa can fill with fluid, which can limit motion and cause pain. Harlan Selesnick, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024 The bursa is one indication that this is a male worm. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 22 Sep. 2023 Bursitis Bursitis causes pain in the front of your knee if a bursa becomes irritated and swollen. Yuliya Klochan, Health, 12 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Medieval Latin, bag, purse — more at purse

First Known Use

1734, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bursa was in 1734

Dictionary Entries Near bursa

Cite this Entry

“Bursa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bursa. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bursa

noun
bur·​sa ˈbər-sə How to pronounce bursa (audio)
plural bursas or bursae -ˌsē How to pronounce bursa (audio)
-ˌsī
: a bodily pouch
especially : a small fluid-containing pouch between a tendon and a bone

Medical Definition

bursa

noun
bur·​sa ˈbər-sə How to pronounce bursa (audio)
plural bursas -səz How to pronounce bursa (audio) or bursae -ˌsē How to pronounce bursa (audio) -ˌsī How to pronounce bursa (audio)
: a bodily pouch or sac: as
a
: a small serous sac between a tendon and a bone
bursal adjective

Geographical Definition

Bursa

geographical name

Bur·​sa bu̇r-ˈsä How to pronounce Bursa (audio)
ˈbər-sə
variants or formerly Brusa
brü-ˈsä How to pronounce Bursa (audio)
ˈbrü-sə
city near the Sea of Marmara in northwestern Turkey population 834,576

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