mass Definition

mass¹
noun

1. physics.
The amount of matter that an object contains, which is a measure of its inertia.
2. A large quantity, usually a shapeless quantity, gathered together; a lump.

Thesaurus: bulk, lump, chunk, heap, hunk, accumulation, aggregate.
3. colloq
A large quantity or number.
Example: masses of room
Example: He has masses of books
Form: masses (often)
4. The majority or bulk of it.

Form: the mass of something (usually)
5. technical
A measure of the quantity of matter in a body.
6. Ordinary people; the people as a whole.

Thesaurus: the common people, the majority, the multitude, the people, the proletariat, the rank and file, the crowd.
Form: the masses
7. art.
An area of uniform colour or shading.
8a. Involving a large number of people;

Example: a mass meeting
Example: mass murder
Thesaurus: comprehensive, general, pandemic, sweeping, extensive, widespread, popular, blanket, across-the-board; Antonym: limited.
8b. Belonging or relating to a mass, or to large quantities or numbers.

Example: mass production

verb

chiefly intr
masses, massed, massing
1. To gather or form in a large quantity or number. See also amass.

Example: Clouds were massing in the distance
Thesaurus: assemble, congregate, crowd, muster, come together, rally, gather; Antonym: separate, disperse.
Form: mass together (sometimes)

Etymology: 14c: from French masser, from Latin massa lump.

---

mass²
Mass
noun

1a. Christianity.
In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches: the Eucharist, a celebration of the Last Supper;
1b. Christianity.
In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches: the ceremony in which this occurs. See also High Mass, Low Mass. Compare (in Protestant churches) Communion, Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper.
2. A part of the text of the Roman Catholic liturgy set to music and sung by a choir or congregation.

Example: a requiem mass

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon mæsse.