message

[mes-ij]

noun

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

an official communication, as from a chief executive to a legislative body: the president's message to Congress.

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

the inspired utterance of a prophet or sage.

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

Computers. a warning, permission, etc., communicated by the system or software to the user: an error message; a message to allow blocked content.

verb (used without object)

to send a message, especially an electronic message.

verb (used with object)

to send (a person) a message.

to send as a message.

Idioms

get the message, Informal. 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.

Origin of message

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Vulgar Latin *missāticum, equivalent to Latin miss(us) sent (past participle of mittere to send) + -āticum -age

Related formsin·ter·mes·sage, noun, adjective

Can be confusedmassage message

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for error message

error message

noun computing

a message displayed on a visual display unit, printout, etc, indicating that an incorrect instruction has been given to the computer

message

noun

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

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

a formal communiqué

an inspired communication of a prophet or religious leader

a mission; errand

(plural) Scot shoppinggoing for the messages

get the message informal to understand what is meant

verb

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

Word Origin for message

C13: from Old French, from Vulgar Latin missāticum (unattested) something sent, from Latin missus, past participle of mittere to send

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for error message

message

c.1300, "communication transmitted via a messenger," from Old French message "message, news, tidings, embassy" (11c.), from Medieval Latin missaticum, from Latin missus "a sending away, sending, despatching; a throwing, hurling," noun use of past participle of mittere "to send" (see mission). The Latin word is glossed in Old English by ærende. Specific religious sense of "divinely inspired communication via a prophet" (1540s) led to transferred sense of "the broad meaning (of something)," first attested 1828. To get the message "understand" is from 1960.

message

"to send messages," 1580s, from message (n.). Related: Messaged; messaging.

Idioms and Phrases with error message

message

see get the message.