bursar
BURR-ser
/ˈbɜːrsər/
An official responsible for managing financial accounts, collecting tuition, and handling disbursements at a college or university.
Focuses specifically on administrative financial transactions directly involving student billing, fee collection, and institutional accounts.
The story behind the word. Derived from Medieval Latin 'bursa' (a leather purse), a bursar was literally the designated keeper of the purse strings. Medieval European university students paid their fees directly into the bursar's heavy leather pouch at the start of each academic term.
Word relationships
- treasurer: Treasurer covers broad corporate financial management, while bursar specifically denotes an academic financial manager.
- financial administrator: A generic modern business title, lacking the traditional institutional connotation of bursar.
Commonly confused with
- registrar: The bursar manages money and tuition bills, while the registrar manages grades, transcripts, and course schedules.
Word family
- bursary (noun): A financial grant or scholarship; the office of a bursar.
- bursarial (adjective): Relating to a bursar or bursary.
Collocations
- bursar's office
- bursar account
- pay the bursar
- bursar hold
Example sentences
- "All tuition bills must be settled with the bursar before room assignment keys can be released." Student financial billing
- "The bursar issued a refund check for the overpaid laboratory fee." Campus financial office
Memory hook
The BURSAR controls the PURSE (bursa) of the university. Keeper of the university purse and tuition accounts.
When not to use
Do not confuse with an academic dean, faculty advisor, or institutional investment manager.
Fun facts
- The word 'reimburse' comes from the exact same root: placing money back into someone's 'bursa' or purse.
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