bourse

noun

ˈbu̇rs How to pronounce bourse (audio)
1
: exchange sense 5a
specifically : a European stock exchange
2
: a sale of numismatic or philatelic items on tables (as at a convention)

Examples of bourse 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.
That performance has lifted its stock on the Indian bourses fivefold since 2021 and 25% over the past year. — Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026 All major bourses moved lower in early trading, with Germany's DAX leading losses on a decline of 1%. — Hugh Leask,chloe Taylor,lee Ying Shan,yun Li, CNBC, 7 July 2026 Kinshasa hopes the bourse, which will list securities in both the local currency and the US dollar, will tap into global interest in its mineral endowments. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 3 July 2026 The lion’s share of crypto derivatives transactions remain on overseas bourses like Binance and Hyperliquid. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bourse

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, literally, purse, from Medieval Latin bursa — more at purse

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bourse was in 1609

Rhymes for bourse

See All Rhymes for bourse

Browse Nearby Words

Boursault rose
bourse
bouse
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bourse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bourse. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bourse

Nglish: Translation of bourse for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bourse

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