massage
Americannoun
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the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.
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Slang. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering.
ego massage.
verb (used with object)
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to treat by massage.
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Slang. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper.
The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.
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Informal.
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to manipulate, maneuver, or handle skillfully.
to massage a bill through the Senate.
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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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noun
verb
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to give a massage to
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to treat (stiffness, aches, etc) by a massage
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to manipulate (statistics, data, etc) so that they appear to support a particular interpretation or to be better than they are; doctor
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to boost someone's sense of self-esteem by flattery
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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massagesimple
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massagessimple
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have massagedperfect
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has massagedperfect
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am massagingprogressive
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are massagingprogressive
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is massagingprogressive
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have been massagingperfect progressive
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has been massagingperfect progressive
Past
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massagedsimple
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had massagedperfect
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was massagingprogressive
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were massagingprogressive
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had been massagingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing massage
Brown Girl Dreaming
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English Words Derived from French, List 5
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Towers Falling
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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:
My seasonal body treatment included exfoliation, massage and aromatherapy, making it one of the most relaxing experiences of the trip.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
Findlay Curtis' massage gun didn't sound that odd, while the ever-reliable Kenny McLean's certainty that there "wasn't anything too weird" wavered the more that he thought about it.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
“From the exceptional central kitchen to the spacious theater area and tranquil massage space, every detail exudes sophistication,” an Instagram post shared by the listing agent stated.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
Still, performing is clearly on his mind as he leads me into a tile-roofed gym equipped with weights, a treadmill and a massage table.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
“N-not c-c-cool!” he yelled, his voice vibrating from the million-hand massage.
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
About 30% of that total comes from add-on services such as massages and personal training sessions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
This year, attendees can sign up for free massages, red light therapy sessions, lymphatic drainage boots, and—thanks in part to a partnership with LEGO—partake in a series of analog “adult play” installations.
From Slate ● May 8, 2026
From scalp detoxification to digital eye strain relief, wellness reporter Deborah Vankin shares her guide to the best specialized massages in Los Angeles from head to toe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
The Woodhouse Spa offers everything from massages to facials and body treatments in a comfortable, low-key space.
From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026
He cracks his knuckles and massages the empty space on his wrist.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Petty crimes dropped, as did homicides, according to official data, though some disputed the data as possibly massaged to benefit authorities.
From Barron's ● May 10, 2026
Next she cleaned my face, applied massage cream and gently massaged my face and eye area, manipulating the outer corners of my eye sockets as well as under my brow bones and on my temples.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026
I tried the glow body scrub and massage, which followed a limb-by-limb approach: scrubbed, wiped, then massaged one section at a time.
From Salon ● May 28, 2025
It was clear during the restart of his match that Shelton was not able to produce his usual high-powered serves — even before his left shoulder was massaged by a trainer.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 1, 2024
The whole time she spoke, she massaged her belly.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
Standing around a kitchen island with a small group of other food writers, I pull on a pair of plastic gloves and begin massaging a bright red paste into wedges of cabbage.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2025
The team says turkey meat is so thick it requires massaging to ensure the jerk seasonings are properly integrated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
It took some massaging of the situation to get Sienna back on board with becoming a Bruin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025
The republic’s consuls and other officers became Augustus’ lapdogs, but he preserved their venerable offices and titles “with anxious care,” seeming to consult them and massaging their vanity.
From Salon ● Feb. 17, 2025
She rotated the bowl with her left hand and stirred with her right, reaching down to the bottom of the bowl, her fingers massaging the water in.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
