massage

[ muh-sahzh, -sahj or, esp. British, mas-ahzh ]
/ məˈsɑʒ, -ˈsɑdʒ or, esp. British, ˈmæs ɑʒ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR massage ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.
Slang. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering: ego massage.

verb (used with object), mas·saged, mas·sag·ing.

to treat by massage.
Slang. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper: The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.
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.

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Origin of massage

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

OTHER WORDS FROM massage

mas·sag·er, mas·sag·ist, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH massage

massage message

Words nearby massage

massachusetts ballot, massachusetts bay, massachusetts bay company, massacre, massacre of the innocents, massage, massage parlor, massage parlour, massapequa, massapequa park, massasauga
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to massage

rub, caress, pat, beating, manipulation, rubbing, stroking, push, stroke, press, stimulate, manipulate, rolf, rolfing

Example sentences from the Web for massage

British Dictionary definitions for massage

massage
/ (ˈmæsɑːʒ, -sɑːdʒ) /

noun

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

verb (tr)

to give a massage to
to treat (stiffness, aches, etc) by a massage
to manipulate (statistics, data, etc) so that they appear to support a particular interpretation or to be better than they are; doctor
massage someone's ego to boost someone's sense of self-esteem by flattery

Derived forms of massage

massager or massagist, noun

Word Origin for massage

C19: from French, from masser to rub; see mass
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

Medical definitions for massage

massage
[ mə-säzh′ -säj′ ]

n.

The rubbing or kneading of parts of the body especially to aid circulation, relax the muscles, or provide sensual stimulation.
An act or instance of such rubbing or kneading.

v.

To give a massage to.
To treat by means of a massage.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.