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General Discussion

orleans

(37,027 posts) Wed Apr 15, 2026, 04:58 PM Wednesday

2

pocketbook vs purse vs wallet

men don't typically carry pocketbooks.
neither do most women.
purse is the new word for pocketbook (and it's hardly new)
wallet is mostly universal.
even people who carry a purse usually keep their ids and money in a wallet inside their purse
my nana had a pocketbook and she was born in 1887.
my mom had a purse.

pocketbook is an old timey word, held over from the "olden days"
wallet is more relatable imo

republicans keep raiding/emptying our wallets
trump is breaking our bank accounts
nana can't find her pocketbook

8 replies

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pocketbook vs purse vs wallet (Original Post) orleans Wednesday OP

I alternate between moonscape Wednesday #1

I'm a couple of years older and I say pocketbook and sometimes billfold and I'm still understood 🤗 Deuxcents Wednesday #4

I use handbag. In particular, a crossbody handbag. It's the only way I won't leave my purse/wallet/whatever behind. Vinca Wednesday #2

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Wednesday #3

I say pocketbook. yorkster Wednesday #5

Growing up in the Boston area, it was always "pockabook" maveric Wednesday #6

pocketbook is American, peaking around 1930, but never that common muriel_volestrangler Thursday #7

thanks for posting that. nt orleans Thursday #8

moonscape

(5,781 posts)

1. I alternate between

Reply to orleans (Original post)

Wed Apr 15, 2026, 05:01 PM

Wednesday

pocketbook and purse. Now I feel old at 75.

Oh wait …

Deuxcents

(27,265 posts)

4. I'm a couple of years older and I say pocketbook and sometimes billfold and I'm still understood 🤗

Reply to moonscape (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 15, 2026, 05:16 PM

Wednesday

Vinca

(54,135 posts)

2. I use handbag. In particular, a crossbody handbag. It's the only way I won't leave my purse/wallet/whatever behind.

Reply to orleans (Original post)

Wed Apr 15, 2026, 05:06 PM

Wednesday

Response to orleans (Original post)

PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.

yorkster

(3,885 posts)

5. I say pocketbook.

Reply to orleans (Original post)

Wed Apr 15, 2026, 05:19 PM

Wednesday

Purse sounds somehow more prissy to me.
I think it's probably regional (New England) plus generational (older boomer).

maveric

(17,046 posts)

6. Growing up in the Boston area, it was always "pockabook"

Reply to orleans (Original post)

Wed Apr 15, 2026, 05:22 PM

Wednesday

A purse was a small, clasping change purse.

muriel_volestrangler

(106,352 posts)

7. pocketbook is American, peaking around 1930, but never that common

Reply to orleans (Original post)

Thu Apr 16, 2026, 06:49 AM

Thursday

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=pocketbook%2Cpurse%2Cwallet&year_start=1800&year_end=2022&corpus=en-US&smoothing=3&case_insensitive=false

Almost unheard of in the UK:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=pocketbook%2Cpurse%2Cwallet&year_start=1800&year_end=2022&corpus=en-GB&smoothing=3&case_insensitive=false

Both countries show a big increase in the use of both wallet and purse from around 2000. Wallet is used online a lot, so that might explain that, but I don't think that would explain purse.

orleans

(37,027 posts)

8. thanks for posting that. nt

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #7)

Thu Apr 16, 2026, 10:43 AM

Thursday

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