bursa
1 Americannoun
plural
bursae, bursasnoun
noun
-
a small fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between movable parts of the body, esp at joints
-
zoology any saclike cavity or structure
noun
plural
bursaeOther Word Forms
- bursal adjective
- bursate adjective
- postbursal adjective
Etymology
Origin of bursa
First recorded in 1795–1805; from New Latin, Late Latin bursa “bag, pouch, purse,” from Greek býrsa “hide, leather”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
McVay said a few days later that a bursa sac in Nacua’s knee had burst.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2024
During the surgery, surgeons often remove a tissue called the bursa while repairing torn tendons in the shoulder joint, but the study suggests that the small tissue plays a role in helping the shoulder heal.
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024
"Overall, what we're seeing is a beneficial role of the bursa for rotator cuff health, in contrast with the historical view that the inflamed bursa is detrimental," says Thomopoulos.
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024
Small fluid-filled sacs called bursa, which normally cushion the joint, may instead swell and ache.
From New York Times • Dec. 29, 2022
The knee-joint is filled with blood and synovia, which usually extend into the bursa under the quadriceps.
From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.