massage

American  

[muh-sahzh, -sahj, mas-ahzh] / məˈsɑʒ, -ˈsɑdʒ, ˈmæs ɑʒ /

noun

massages plural

1. the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.

2. Slang. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering.

   ego massage.

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verb (used with object)

massages, present (3rd person singular) massaged, past participle, past massaging present participle

1. to treat by massage.

2. Slang. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper.

   The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.

3. 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.

massage British  

/ -sɑːdʒ, ˈmæsɑːʒ /

noun

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

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verb

1. to give a massage to

2. to treat (stiffness, aches, etc) by a massage

3. to manipulate (statistics, data, etc) so that they appear to support a particular interpretation or to be better than they are; doctor

4. to boost someone's sense of self-esteem by flattery

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• massager
  noun
• massagist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• massages
  plural

Participles

• massaging
  present
• massaged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• massage
  simple
• massages
  simple
• have massaged
  perfect
• has massaged
  perfect
• am massaging
  progressive
• are massaging
  progressive
• is massaging
  progressive
• have been massaging
  perfect progressive
• has been massaging
  perfect progressive

Past

• massaged
  simple
• had massaged
  perfect
• was massaging
  progressive
• were massaging
  progressive
• had been massaging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will massage
  simple
• will have massaged
  perfect
• will be massaging
  progressive
• will have been massaging
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

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

First Turkey raised a wing to massage her head.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Related Words

• caress
• pat
• rub