Pikepurse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic term for a thief who secretly takes money from people's purses or pockets
2. A person who makes a living by stealing purses, typically by picking pockets in crowds
3. Refers to a sneaky petty criminal who lifts valuables from purses without being noticed

Etymology: Despite its look, this compound has nothing to do with the spear or the fish. "Pike" here is an old variant of "pick," in the sense of pilfering, which likely grew from the sense of picking something out or away. A pikepurse was therefore a person who picked purses, a pickpocket or cutpurse. The spear "pike," by contrast, comes from French "pique," and the fish takes its name from its pointed snout. The two words only look alike. Readers often assume a sharp weapon lies behind the first half, but the verb sense is what matters.