bössa

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish byssa, bössa (“rifle, cannon, box”), from Middle Low German büsse (“box, gun”), from Medieval Latin buxis, from Ancient Greek πῠξῐ́ς (pŭxĭ́s), from πῠ́ξος (pŭ́xos, “box wood”). Cognate with bush.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²bœsːa/

Noun

bössa c

1. (informal) gun (shooting weapon functioning through stored energy)
   1. rifle-esque device

      Hyponyms: hagelbössa (“shotgun”), handbössa (“handgun”), kulbössa (“rifle”), pilbössa (“crossbow”), spjutbössa (“speargun”)

      Synonym: gevär

   2. any gun: cannon, firearm, flamethrower etc
2. small box for storing money, like coins, a charity box, a collection box

Declension

Declension of bössa

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	bössa	bössas
	definite	bössan	bössans
plural	indefinite	bössor	bössors
	definite	bössorna	bössornas

Derived terms

gun

• bösskolv (“buttstock”)
• bösskott (“gun shot”)
• dubbelbössa (“double-barreled gun”)
• enkelbössa (“single-barreled gun”)
• flintbössa (“flintlock-gun”)
• fågelbössa (“fowling-gun”)
• hagelbössa (“shotgun”)
• hakebössa (“handcannon, heavy firearm”)
• handbössa (“handgun, firearm”)
• korkbössa (“popgun”)
• kulbössa (“rifle”)
• låsbössa (“firearm with locking mechanism”, literally “lock-gun”)
• pilbössa (“crossbow”, literally “arrow gun”)
• spjutbössa (“speargun”)
• ärtbössa (“peashooter”)

box

• fattigbössa (“poor box, mite box”)
• insamlingsbössa (“charity box, collecting box”)
• sparbössa (“money box, piggy bank”)

Related terms

• box

References

• “bössa”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “bössa”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• bössa in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)