massa
noun
(used in representation of Southern Black speech, especially in the era of slavery) master.
massa
1 American
[mas-uh]
/ ˈmæs ə /
Also
mars,
noun
Southern U.S.
Massa
2
American
[mahs-sah]
/ ˈmɑs sɑ /
noun
Massa
British
/ ˈmassa /
noun
Etymology
Origin of massa
First recorded in 1570–80 as mas; marse was first recorded in 1765–75; shortening and alteration of master ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The two thalami touch in the center in most brains as the massa intermedia, which is surrounded by the third ventricle.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
And the old massa who lives there fits the movie title too: Nikita Khrushchev, still hale at 70 but "retired" to his rent-free government dacha outside Moscow on a pension of $330 a month.
From Time Magazine Archive
“My massa thought so, ma’am,” she said quietly.
From "Copper Sun" by Sharon M. Draper
Say he praise de young Inglesa for shooting de hippo; say he gib massa de hippo and manioc and bananas and anyfing whatever dat massa like.
From Samba A Story of the Rubber Slaves of the Congo by Herbert Strang
Him tell Batukuno Inglesa massa good white man, brudder Tanalay, oh yes!
From Samba A Story of the Rubber Slaves of the Congo by Herbert Strang
“To be a just war it must be a defense against another who actively wages war, which is what the Holy Father actually said,” Massa said in a statement following Vance’s comments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026
Verstappen was flirting with the most stunning comeback since Lewis Hamilton reeled in Felipe Massa in 2008, and the McLarens clearly understood that it could have been prevented.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025
"Mr Massa is not entitled to claim declaratory relief for reputational or publicity reasons," he added.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025
Another inspires a short rhapsody detailing the six-figure worth of a Richard Mille Felipe Massa automatic chronograph with a rose gold skeleton and a flyback function.
From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2025
Massa Prayder and his boys keep ’em, and keep ’em all separate too.”
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
