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¹mass

noun \ˈmas\

Definition of MASS

capitalized : the liturgy of the Eucharist especially in accordance with the traditional Latin rite

often capitalized : a celebration of the Eucharist <Sunday masses held at three different hours>

: a musical setting for the ordinary of the Mass

Origin of MASS

Middle English, from Old English mæsse, modification of Vulgar Latin *messa, literally, dismissal at the end of a religious service, from Late Latin missa, from Latin, feminine of missus, past participle of mittere to send

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with MASS

ass, bass, brass, class, crass, frass, gas, glass, grass, lass, pass, sass, strass, tasse, vas, wrasse

²mass

noun

Definition of MASS

a : a quantity or aggregate of matter usually of considerable size

b (1) : expanse, bulk (2) : massive quality or effect (3) : the main part or body <the great mass of the continent is buried under an ice cap — Walter Sullivan> (4) : aggregate, whole <men in the mass>

c : the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia and that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains and causes it to have weight in a gravitational field

: a large quantity, amount, or number <a mass of material>

a : a large body of persons in a group <a mass of spectators>

b : the great body of the people as contrasted with the elite —often used in plural <the underprivileged and disadvantaged masses — C. A. Buss>

Origin of MASS

Middle English masse, from Anglo-French, from Latin massa, from Greek maza; akin to Greek massein to knead — more at mingle

First Known Use: 15th century

Synonym Discussion of MASS

bulk, mass, volume mean the aggregate that forms a body or unit. bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous <the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers>. mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind <a mass of boulders>. volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating <a tremendous volume of water>.

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, gradient, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

³mass

verb

: to form or gather into a large group

Full Definition of MASS

transitive verb

: to form or collect into a mass

intransitive verb

: to assemble in a mass <three thousand students had massed in the plaza — A. E. Neville>

See mass defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of MASS

14th century

Related to MASS

Synonyms: accrete, accumulate, amass, build up, concentrate, conglomerate, gather, collect, pile (up), stack (up)

⁴mass

adjective

: involving, affecting, or designed for many people

Full Definition of MASS

a : of or relating to the mass of the people <mass market>; also : being one of or at one with the mass : average <mass man>

b : participated in by or affecting a large number of individuals <mass destruction>

c : having a large-scale character <mass plantings of tulips>

: viewed as a whole : total <the mass effect of a design>

See mass defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of MASS

1733

Mass

abbreviation

Definition of MASS

Massachusetts

MASSED Defined for Kids

¹mass

noun \ˈmas\

Definition of MASS for Kids

: a large quantity or number <A great mass of people pushed through the gate.>

: an amount of something that holds or clings together <a mass of clouds>

: large size : bulk <an elephant's huge mass>

: the principal part : main body <The great mass of voters supported change.>

masses plural : the body of ordinary or common people <She was a hero to the masses.>

²mass

verb

massedmass·ing

Definition of MASS for Kids

: to collect into a large body <… the population massed itself and moved toward the river … — Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer>

³mass

noun , often cap

Definition of MASS for Kids

: a religious service in which communion is celebrated

Medical Dictionary

mass

noun \ˈmas\

Medical Definition of MASS

: the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia, that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains, that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field, and that along with length and time constitutes one of the fundamental quantities on which all physical measurements are based

: a homogeneous pasty mixture compounded for making pills, lozenges, and plasters <blue mass>