noun

1. a quantity of matter forming a body of indefinite shape and size, usually of relatively large size; lump
2. a large quantity or number a mass of bruises
3. bulk; size; magnitude
4. the main or larger part; majority
5. Painting a large area or form of one color, shade, intensity, etc.
6. Pharmacy the paste or plastic combination of drugs from which pills are made
7. Physics the quantity of matter in a body as measured by its inertia; the ratio of force to the acceleration produced by that force: experimentally it is found that the gravitational force on an object is proportional to its mass: abbrev. m

Etymology: ME masse < OFr < L massa, a lump, mass < Gr maza, barley cake < massein, to knead < IE base *menk-, to knead > mingle

adjective

1. 1. of a large number of things; large-scale mass production
   2. of a large number of persons a mass demonstration
2. of, characteristic of, or for the masses mass education

transitive verb, intransitive verb

noun

1. the Roman Catholic Eucharistic rite consisting of prayers and ceremonies centered on the consecration of bread and wine as a real though mystical reenactment of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross: with differing doctrinal interpretations, the term has sometimes been used of the Eucharistic rite of other Churches
2. a musical setting for certain parts of this rite

Etymology: ME masse < OE mæsse < LL(Ec) missa, mass, lit., dismissal, orig. pp. of L mittere, to dismiss < the words said by the priest ite, missa est (contio), go, (the meeting) is dismissed