massage

Meaning

Noun

1. The action of rubbing, kneading or hitting someone's body, to help the person relax, prepare for muscular action (as in contact sports) or to relieve aches.
2. The action of rubbing or kneading anything.

Verb

1. To rub and knead (someone's body or a part of a body), to perform a massage on (somebody).
2. To rub or knead anything.
3. To manipulate (data, a document etc.) to make it more presentable or more convenient to work with.
4. To falsify (data or accounts).

Synonyms

rub

knead

press

squeeze

rub down

stroke

caress

shampoo

rub in

rubdown

sweep off

embrocation

facial

feel

ferment

fray

frazzle

grasp

grate

grind

keep

kneading

mash

massaging

oil

palpate

pedicure

podiatry

post

pound

💷

powder

press on

pressure

push

push down

rubbing

scrub

set

smear

stir

tickle

train

🚋

treat

triturate

wear

wring

wrinkle

lead on

rub one’s hands

be troubled about

worry over

chiropody

agitate

rub hard

as per

brush

butter up

chafe

coach

cover

crumple

cure

dress up

embellish

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmæsɑː(d)ʒ/

Etymology

Cognate with German: massieren

In summary

From French massage (noun), from masser (“to massage”) (borrowed around the end of the 18th century from Arabic مَسَّ (massa, “feel, touch”), or from Portuguese amassar) + -age. Cognate to German massieren.