mass

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈmas 

1

capitalized : the liturgy of the Eucharist (see eucharist sense 1) especially in accordance with the traditional Latin rite (see rite sense 1)

2

often capitalized : a celebration of the Eucharist (see eucharist sense 1)

Sunday masses held at three different hours

3

: a musical setting for the ordinary of the Mass

Bach's Mass in B Minor

mass

2 of 5

noun (2)

1

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

2

: a large quantity, amount, or number

a mass of material

3

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

mass

3 of 5

verb

massed; massing; masses

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

mass

4 of 5

adjective

1

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

2

: viewed as a whole : total

the mass effect of a design

Mass

5 of 5

abbreviation

Massachusetts

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• commoners
• commons
• crowd
• herd
• hoi polloi
• millions
• mob
• multitude
• people
• plebeians
• plebs
• populace
• public
• rank and file

Verb

• accrete
• accumulate
• amass
• build up
• collect
• concentrate
• conglomerate
• gather
• pile (up)
• stack (up)

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of mass in a Sentence

Noun (2)

the masses demanded the elimination of tax breaks for the rich

I have a mass of work to do tonight

a mass of leaves in a corner of the yard

when taking pictures, focus your attention on the mass of the main subject

believes that the great mass of voters are in the political center and consider themselves neither conservative nor liberal

a huge mass of people had gathered in the park to protest the government's latest policy

Verb

A large crowd of demonstrators massed outside the courthouse.

Clouds were massing on the horizon.

The generals massed their troops.

Adjective

Television is a mass medium.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Since the Oxford High School fatal mass shooting committed by then-15-year-old Ethan Crumbley on Nov. 30, 2021, several Michigan schools have increasingly seen similar threats that have turned out to be fake, including Oxford. —Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press, 24 Oct. 2024

The 14-year-old accused of killing four and wounding nine others during the mass shooting at the Georgia high school on Sept. 4 also has waived an arraignment hearing that had been scheduled for Nov. 21, according to court papers filed by his attorney. —Greg Norman, Fox News, 23 Oct. 2024

Verb

Tens of thousands of Georgians massed outside the parliament on Monday night, calling for the annulment of Saturday’s parliamentary election that the opposition has said was rigged with Russia’s blessing. —Christian Edwards, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024

Thousands of them had massed at the base for an unholy pilgrimage. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024

Adjective

Trump, while still drawing crowds, does not have a track record post-2020 of organizing mass protests. —Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024

The dual proposals of a mass deportation and allowing local law enforcement to arrest those in the country illegally could have a chilling effect not only on immigrants in the country legally but also businesses looking to move to Arizona, Graham said. —Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

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

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Adjective

1733, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing mass

• accelerator mass spectrometry
• air mass
• atomic mass
• atomic mass unit
• body mass index
• center of mass
• conservation of mass
• coronal mass ejection
• critical mass
• folk mass
• high mass
• low mass
• mass card
• mass driver
• mass extinction
• mass extinction event
• mass-market
• mass media
• mass medium
• mass murderer
• mass noun
• mass number
• mass-produce
• mass production
• mass spectrograph
• mass spectrometry
• mass spectrum
• mass transit
• molecular mass
• red mass
• rest mass
• solar mass
• solemn mass
• sung mass
• the mass of
• votive mass
• weapon of mass destruction
• weapons of mass destruction

Kids Definition

mass

1 of 4 noun

ˈmas 

1

capitalized : a series of prayers and ceremonies forming the eucharistic service especially of the Roman Catholic Church

2

often capitalized : a celebration of the Eucharist

3

: a musical setting for parts of the Mass

mass

2 of 4 noun

1

a

: a quantity of matter or the form of matter that holds or clings together in one body

a mass of metal

b

: large size : bulk

c

: the principal part : main body

2

: the quantity of matter in a body

weight is the force on a mass due to gravity

3

: a large amount or number

4

plural : the common people

mass

3 of 4 verb

: to form or collect into a mass

mass

4 of 4 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or designed for the mass of the people

mass market

2

: participated in by or affecting a large number of individuals

mass demonstrations

Etymology

Noun

Old English mæsse "religious service," from Latin missa, literally "dismissal at the end of a religious service," derived from earlier missus, past participle of mittere "to send"

Noun

Middle English masse "a large body or quantity of material," from early French masse (same meaning), from Latin massa (same meaning), from Greek maza "mass"

Medical Definition

mass

noun

ˈmas 

1

: 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

2

: a homogeneous pasty mixture compounded for making pills, lozenges, and plasters

blue mass

Legal Definition

mass

1 of 2 noun

: an aggregation of usually similar things (as assets in a succession) considered as a whole

mass

2 of 2 adjective

: participated in by or affecting a large number of individuals

mass insurance underwriting

mass tort litigation