Mass
/mæs/
Definitions
4 meaningsA coherent, typically large body of matter with no definite shape.
/mæs/
A large body of matter with no definite shape
The surgeon discovered a mass in the patient's abdomen.
💡 Simply: Imagine a giant blob of something! It could be a bunch of people, a pile of rocks, or even a huge amount of stuff that takes up a lot of space.
👶 For kids: A big pile of stuff!
More Examples
A large mass of snow blocked the road.
The concentration of the dye created a visible mass in the solution.
How It's Used
"The mass of an object determines its inertia."
"A large mass of people gathered in the square."
A large number of people or things considered together.
/mæs/
A large number or amount
A mass of students protested the decision.
💡 Simply: Think of a whole bunch of something, like a crowd of people or a huge amount of food. It's like when you say 'a mass of people' or 'a mass of cookies'.
👶 For kids: Lots and lots of things!
More Examples
The concert attracted a mass of fans.
The charity received a mass of donations.
How It's Used
"The mass of people supported the new policy."
"The politician appealed to the masses."
The celebration of the Eucharist, especially in the Roman Catholic Church.
/mæs/
A religious service
The wedding was followed by a mass.
💡 Simply: This is like a special church service that Catholics have. It's a gathering where they pray and celebrate their faith, often involving bread and wine.
👶 For kids: A special church time.
More Examples
The priest prepared for the morning mass.
They went to mass to pray for their family.
How It's Used
"The family attended mass every Sunday."
"The priest celebrated mass."
To bring together or form into a mass.
/mæs/
To assemble or form into a mass.
The soldiers massed at the command post.
💡 Simply: To gather or pile things together. Imagine a bunch of clouds coming together to form a big, dark cloud, or troops gathering together for a battle.
👶 For kids: To make a big pile.
More Examples
Protesters massed outside the embassy.
The data was massed into a single database for analysis.
How It's Used
"The troops massed on the border."
"Clouds massed overhead, threatening rain."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
mass media
The main means of communication (broadcasting, publishing, and the Internet) reaching the mass of people.
"The politician relied on mass media to spread his message."
mass production
The manufacture of large quantities of standardized products, often on assembly lines.
"Mass production made cars affordable for many families."
mass market
The market for goods that are produced on a large scale for a large number of customers.
"This clothing line is aimed at the mass market."
From Old French *masse* 'lump, heap', from Latin *massa* 'kneaded dough, lump', from Greek *mâza* 'barley cake'.
Historically, 'mass' has been used to describe both physical quantities and large groups of people since the 14th century. Its religious connotation dates back to the late 12th century.
Memory tip
Think of a huge lump or pile of something.
Word Origin
"lump, kneaded dough"