Bag vs. Purse — What's the Difference?

A container made of flexible material with an opening at the top.

A small bag used by women to carry everyday personal items.

A soft container carried on one's back or shoulder.

A clutch or small hand-held bag.

A piece of luggage used for travel.

An accessory often used to complete an outfit.

A sealed container for storage.

A bag with compartments for various personal items.

A term used in sports to describe a type of catch.

A small, often fashionable, handbag.

A bag (also known regionally as a sack) is a common tool in the form of a non-rigid container. The use of bags predates recorded history, with the earliest bags being no more than lengths of animal skin, cotton, or woven plant fibers, folded up at the edges and secured in that shape with strings of the same material.Despite their simplicity, bags have been fundamental for the development of human civilization, as they allow people to easily collect loose materials such as berries or food grains, and to transport more items than could readily be carried in the hands.

A usually closable bag used for carrying keys, a wallet, and other personal items, especially by women; a handbag.

A container of flexible material, such as paper, plastic, or leather, that is used for carrying or storing items.

A usually closable small bag or pouch for carrying money.

A handbag; a purse.

Something that resembles a bag or pouch, such as a purse seine.

A piece of hand luggage, such as a suitcase or satchel.

An available amount of money or resources

A pouchlike or sagging organ or part of the body, such as a cow's udder.

A sum of money collected as a present or offered as a prize.

An object that resembles a pouch.

To gather or contract (the lips or brow) into wrinkles or folds; pucker.

(Nautical) The sagging or bulging part of a sail.

A small bag for carrying money.

The amount that a bag can hold.

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

An amount of game taken or legally permitted to be taken.

A quantity of money given for a particular purpose.

(Baseball) A base.

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

(Slang) An area of interest or skill

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

(Slang) A woman considered ugly or unkempt.

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

To put into a bag

To put into a purse.

To cause to bulge like a pouch.

To steal purses; to rob.

To capture or kill as game

A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie.

To gain; acquire

Hence, a treasury; finances; as, the public purse.

To capture or arrest

A sum of money offered as a prize, or collected as a present; as, to win the purse; to make up a purse.

To accomplish or achieve

A specific sum of money

To fail to attend purposely; skip

To put into a purse.

To stop doing or considering; abandon

To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles, like the mouth of a purse; to pucker; to knit.

To terminate the employment of.

To steal purses; to rob.

To pack items in a bag.

A bag used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women);

To hang loosely

A sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse;

To swell out; bulge.

A small bag for carrying money

A soft container made out of cloth, paper, thin plastic, etc. and open at the top, used to hold food, commodities, and other goods.

A sum of money offered as a prize;

A container made of leather, plastic, or other material, usually with a handle or handles, in which you carry personal items, or clothes or other things that you need for travelling. Includes shopping bags, schoolbags, suitcases, and handbags.

Contract one's lips into a rounded shape

(colloquial) One's preference.

Gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker;

(derogatory) An ugly woman.

A fellow gay man.

(baseball) The cloth-covered pillow used for first, second, and third base.

(baseball) First, second, or third base.

(preceded by "the") A breathalyzer, so named because it formerly had a plastic bag over the end to measure a set amount of breath.

(mathematics) A collection of objects, disregarding order, but (unlike a set) in which elements may be repeated.

A sac in animal bodies, containing some fluid or other substance.

A pouch tied behind a man's head to hold the back-hair of a wig; a bag wig.

The quantity of game bagged in a hunt.

A scrotum.

(UK) A unit of measure of cement equal to 94 pounds.

A dark circle under the eye, caused by lack of sleep, drug addiction etc.

(slang) A small envelope that contains drugs, especially narcotics.

£1000, a grand.

(informal) A large number or amount.

(transitive) To put into a bag.

(transitive) To take with oneself, to assume into one's score

(informal) To catch or kill, especially when fishing or hunting.

To gain possession of something, or to make first claim on something.

(slang) To steal.

(slang) To arrest.

(transitive) To furnish or load with a bag.

To provide with artificial ventilation via a bag valve mask (BVM) resuscitator.

To fit with a bag to collect urine.

To expose exterior shape or physical behaviour resembling that of a bag

To (cause to) swell or hang down like a full bag.

To hang like an empty bag.

To drop away from the correct course.

To become pregnant.

To forget, ignore, or get rid of.

To show particular puffy emotion

To swell with arrogance.

To laugh uncontrollably.

To criticise sarcastically.

A sack or pouch, used for holding anything; as, a bag of meal or of money.

A sac, or dependent gland, in animal bodies, containing some fluid or other substance; as, the bag of poison in the mouth of some serpents; the bag of a cow.

A sort of silken purse formerly tied about men's hair behind, by way of ornament.

The quantity of game bagged.

A certain quantity of a commodity, such as it is customary to carry to market in a sack; as, a bag of pepper or hops; a bag of coffee.

To put into a bag; as, to bag hops.

To seize, capture, or entrap; as, to bag an army; to bag game.

To furnish or load with a bag or with a well filled bag.

To swell or hang down like a full bag; as, the skin bags from containing morbid matter.

To swell with arrogance.

To become pregnant.

A flexible container with a single opening;

The quantity of game taken in a particular period (usually by one person);

Place that runner must touch before scoring;

A bag used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women);

The quantity that a bag will hold;

A portable rectangular traveling bag for carrying clothes;

An ugly or ill-tempered woman;

Mammary gland of bovids (cows and sheep and goats)

An activity that you like or at which you are superior;

Capture or kill, as in hunting;

Hang loosely, like an empty bag

Bulge out; form a bulge outward, or be so full as to appear to bulge

Take unlawfully

Put into a bag;

Men may use purses for the same reasons as women—to carry personal items conveniently and stylishly, reflecting broader changes in fashion norms.

Yes, a bag can be a purse if it fits the size and style typically associated with purses, which are small and used for carrying personal items.

Purses typically range from very small, like a clutch, to medium-sized, like a handbag or satchel.

Bags can be made from a variety of materials including leather, canvas, and synthetic fabrics, depending on their intended use, whereas purses are often made from more delicate materials like fine leather or designer fabrics to enhance their aesthetic appeal.

For travel, bags with features like lockable zippers, RFID-blocking materials, and sturdy construction are considered most secure.

Generally, high-quality purses, especially those from renowned designer brands, tend to hold their value better and can even appreciate over time compared to more utilitarian bags.

Generally, purses are considered more of a fashion statement and often align with current trends, while bags might be designed more for durability and functionality.

Cultural perceptions vary, with some cultures using the term "purse" interchangeably with "handbag," while in others, a purse is specifically a small bag for carrying money.

Consider the intended use, such as everyday carry, travel, or formal events, the necessary capacity, comfort, material durability, and how well it matches your style.

Common types of bags used daily include backpacks, messenger bags, and tote bags, known for their practicality and space.

Fashion designers often set trends by incorporating new shapes, colors, and materials into their purse and bag designs, influencing consumer choices and the broader fashion industry.

Purses are often used for formal or semi-formal occasions due to their stylish appearance and smaller size, whereas bags might be chosen for work or travel due to their practicality.

Yes, many purses are designed with both functionality and fashion in mind, offering features like card holders, adjustable straps, and secure pockets alongside stylish designs.

Historically used for carrying coins and personal items discreetly, purses have evolved into a prominent fashion accessory, often reflecting the owner's status and style preferences.