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Glite Dictionary
purser

purser

6 8.1
A person on a ship who handles money and helps passengers
  • noun
  • /ˈpɜːrsər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tesorero
  • You'd have to arrange that with the Purser.
  • Chief purser
  • purser's mate
  • ship's purser

This guy, you know, had a fight with Junior Purser Go's nephew and Junior Purser Go's nephew lost the fight.

Examples

  • Before disembarking, make sure to settle your accounts with the purser.

  • As the assistant to the purser, I'm afraid I'll have to report you.

    Deep Rising (1998)

  • Seems they have more confidence in the purser than in us.

    The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

  • Do you know where is the Office of the Purser?

    Breaking Away (1979)

  • All right, I'll find out from the purser.

    A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)

  • Visit the purser, tell him I said to give you a week's wages, and enjoy yourselves, boys.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Can you tell me where the Purser's office is, please?

    Mandalay (1934)

  • The purser handed over an item ring for five thousand francs.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Sir, they need you up in the Second-Class Purser's office.

    Titanic (1997)

  • Storyteller 1: The purser waved them on and pointed toward the lower decks.

    Fiction book (1999)

How Senior

senior pilot
  • Specialized
1 4.2
purser
  • Specialized
6 8.1
steward
  • UK
13 3.8

Surface Forms

purser singular
pursers plural

Morphology

purser = purse (semi-transparent) = purse + er

The word is built from 'purse' + '-er', but the shipboard officer sense is only indirectly related to the idea of handling money and accounts.

Etymology

Purser comes from the everyday word purse, meaning 'a bag for money'. On ships, a purser was originally the person who kept the purse and handled payments and passenger needs, so today's purser still looks after the ship's accounts and passengers' welfare.