Definition
A small pouch sewn into clothing, used to carry small items like keys or money.
Example
Eu coloquei as chaves no bolso da calça.
Show translation
I put the keys in my pants pocket.
Etymology
From Italian *borsa* ("purse, bag"), via Old Spanish *bolsa*, which entered Portuguese as *bolso*. The root traces back to Medieval Latin *bursa* ("hide, leather bag"), itself from Greek *býrsa* (βύρσα, "hide, leather"). The shift from *bolsa* (feminine, still used for "bag" or "stock exchange") to *bolso* (masculine, "pocket") reflects a semantic narrowing in Portuguese.
Cultural note
In Brazilian Portuguese, *bolso* also appears in popular political and economic expressions. "No bolso" ("in the pocket") is a common idiom meaning something is already secured or guaranteed — e.g., *"Esse emprego está no bolso!"* ("That job is in the bag!"). Be careful not to confuse *bolso* (pocket) with *bolsa* (bag, purse, or stock exchange — as in *Bolsa de Valores*).