massage

American  

[muh-sahzh, -sahj, mas-ahzh] / məˈsɑʒ, -ˈsɑdʒ, ˈmæs ɑʒ /

noun

1. the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.

2. Slang. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering.

   ego massage.

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verb (used with object)

massaged, massaging

1. to treat by massage.

2. Slang. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper.

   The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.

3. Informal.

   1. to manipulate, maneuver, or handle skillfully.

      to massage a bill through the Senate.

   2. to manipulate, organize, or rearrange (data, figures, or the like) to produce a specific result, especially a favorable one.

      The auditors discovered that the company had massaged the books.

massage British  

/ -sɑːdʒ, ˈmæsɑːʒ /

noun

1. the act of kneading, rubbing, etc, parts of the body to promote circulation, suppleness, or relaxation

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verb

1. to give a massage to

2. to treat (stiffness, aches, etc) by a massage

3. to manipulate (statistics, data, etc) so that they appear to support a particular interpretation or to be better than they are; doctor

4. to boost someone's sense of self-esteem by flattery

Other Word Forms

• massager noun
• massagist noun

Etymology

Origin of massage

1875–80; < French, equivalent to mass ( er ) to massage (< Arabic massa to handle) + -age -age

Explanation

When someone rubs your muscles to help relax them, that's a massage. Feels good, doesn't it? When someone tells you how great you are to gain favor, they massage your ego. Not bad, either. The word massage has a mysterious background, possibly coming from the Arabic massa, meaning "to touch," finding its way to 19th Century France by way of Napoleon. Would you accept a foot massage from Napoleon? Or, it might have worked its way to France from India, where amassar carries the meaning "knead." The year 1913 saw the first massage parlor, which was really a brothel. Today massage is a recognized form of physical therapy and is, of course, practiced by amateurs too. A little to the left, please.

Example Sentences

The brand’s meets and races are stacked with swag and samples from not only sneaker sellers but the fitness app Strava, massage gun maker Therabody, as well as food and beer brands.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

“Gentle massage of these areas is believed to help promote blood circulation, relax the muscles responsible for focusing and relieve visual fatigue,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

There is also a home theater, a wet bar, a game room, a gym, a massage room, and a beautifully decorated office with a fireplace.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

“I wanted to flip that to where she’s talking to someone and she’s always trying to massage the truth or sometimes outright lie,’” Jonas says.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Soon, it'll be near evening and Daddy and I will walk slow back into the house where I'll pull the Epsom salt from the shelf fill the dishpan with warm water, massage his swelling hands.

From "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson

Related Words

• caress
• pat
• rub