An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Börse

by Friedrich Kluge

Börse, feminine, from Middle High German burse, ‘purse, small bag,’ also ‘a number of persons living together,’ Old High German burissa, ‘pocket.’ Compare Dutch beurs; of Romance origin (French bourse, Italian borsa); the Romance class is derived finally from Greek βύρσα, ‘hide.’ This word supplanted an Old Teutonic term which shows a similar development of meaning — Old Icelandic pungr, ‘leather bottle, scrotum, purse,’ Gothic puggs, Old High German scazpfung, ‘purse.’