1. a thief who steals by cutting purses from people’s belts or clothing
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• The medieval cutpurse sliced through the merchant’s money pouch with a sharp blade.
• In Shakespeare’s time, cutpurses were common in crowded marketplaces.
• The cunning cutpurse moved through the crowd, targeting wealthy travelers.
• Guards were posted to watch for cutpurses during the festival.
• Historical records describe cutpurses as skilled thieves who worked quickly and quietly.
• The term cutpurse comes from the practice of literally cutting purse strings.