purprise

P3U1R1P3R1I1S1E1
/pə(ɹ)ˈpɹaɪz/

noun

An enclosed space, such as the land within the borders of a manor.

OriginOld French porpris →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

nounpurprise (plural purprises)

plural purprises

  1. obsoleteAn enclosed space, such as the land within the borders of a manor.

    The place of justice is an hallowed place ; and therefore , not only the bench , but the foot – pace and precincts , and purprise thereof , ought to be preserved without scandal and corruption

    1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Judicature”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC

Origin

  1. Old Frenchporpris
  2. Englishpurprise

From Old French porpris, from porprendre (“to take away entirely”); por- (“for”) + prendre (“to take”).

More words from Old French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

purprise. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purprise

MLA

“purprise.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purprise. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “purprise,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purprise.

Source: purprise on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.