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Mass

Pronunciation: /ˈmæs/

The English word “Mass” has 3 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. The principal liturgical service of the Church, encompassing both a scripture service (Liturgy of the Word) and a eucharistic service (Liturgy of the Eucharist), which includes the consecration and oblation (offering) of the host and wine.
  2. A similar ceremony offered by a number of Christian churches.
  3. A musical composition set to portions, or all, of the Mass.

Etymology

From Middle English messe, from Old English mæsse and Old French messe, both from Late Latin missa, from Latin mittō (“to send, dismiss”), compare French messe. In the ancient churches, the public services at which the catechumens were permitted to be present were called missa catechumenorum, ending with the reading of the Gospel. Then they were dismissed with the words: "Ite, missa est", the…

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