message

American  

[mes-ij] / ˈmɛs ɪdʒ /

noun

1. a communication containing some information, news, advice, request, or the like, sent by messenger, telephone, email, or other means.

2. an official communication, as from a chief executive to a legislative body.

   the president's message to Congress.

3. Digital Technology. a post or reply on an online message board.

4. the inspired utterance of a prophet or sage.

5. the point, moral, or meaning of a gesture, utterance, novel, motion picture, etc.

6. Computers. a warning, permission, etc., communicated by the system or software to the user.

   an error message;

   a message to allow blocked content.

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verb (used without object)

messages, present (3rd person singular) messaged, past participle, past messaging present participle

1. to send a message, especially an electronic message.

verb (used with object)

messages, present (3rd person singular) messaged, past participle, past messaging present participle

1. to send (a person) a message.

2. to send as a message.

idioms

1. get the message, to understand or comprehend, especially to infer the correct meaning from circumstances, hints, etc..

   If we don't invite him to the party, maybe he'll get the message.

message British  

/ ˈmɛsɪdʒ /

noun

1. a communication, usually brief, from one person or group to another

2. an implicit meaning or moral, as in a work of art

3. a formal communiqué

4. an inspired communication of a prophet or religious leader

5. a mission; errand

6. (plural) shopping

   going for the messages

7. informal to understand what is meant

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verb

1. (tr) to send as a message, esp to signal (a plan, etc)

message More Idioms  

1. see get the message.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intermessage
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has messaged
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have messaged
  perfect
• has been messaging
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am messaging
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been messaging
  perfect progressive
• messages
  singular 3rd person
• is messaging
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are messaging
  progressive
• messaging
  participle

Past

• had messaged
  perfect
• were messaging
  progressive plural
• had been messaging
  perfect progressive
• was messaging
  progressive singular
• messaged
  participle
• messaged
  simple

Future

• will message
  simple
• will have messaged
  perfect
• will have been messaging
  perfect progressive
• will be messaging
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of message

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin missāticum (unrecorded), equivalent to Latin miss(us) “sent” (past participle of mittere “to send”) + -āticum -age

Explanation

A message is a communication or statement conveyed from one person or group to another. If you call my house phone and I’m out running an errand, you’ll be asked to “please leave a message after the beep.” Generally transmitted verbally or in writing, a message can also be sent via a look or a gesture. In today’s world, people tend to use email to send a short message. But in ye olden days, pre-internet and when the post was faster, people relied on the art of letter writing to send a message. The noun can also have a moral or pointed implication. For instance, the story's moral message was to always tell the truth.

Example Sentences

In 2024, An got back in touch with La Roux via a direct message on Instagram asking if she remembered the alleged incident.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Panish told jurors in Van Nuys that they needed to award punitive damages not only to punish Grossman and Erickson but also to send a message about their conduct.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Fujimori, 51, is hoping to ride a wave of support for right-wing candidates who have won recent elections in Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador with a tough-on-crime message.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

A consistent message emerged: Los Angeles was not a beautiful, vibrant metropolis with serious problems, but a hellhole verging on being lost for good.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

Turning on the shower, I sat down on the cool tile floor and opened the message as the bathroom filled with steam.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• directive
• information
• letter
• memo
• memorandum
• news
• note
• notice
• report
• word