Mass has 19 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Proper Noun
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
"As the astronaut floated further from Earth, she realized her mass remained unchanged even though her weight had vanished."
(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
"a batch of letters"
"a deal of trouble"
"a lot of money"
"he made a mint on the stock market"
"see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos"
"it must have cost plenty"
"a slew of journalists"
"a wad of money"
an ill-structured collection of similar things (objects or people)
"The crowd surged forward as a chaotic mass of panicked shoppers pushed past security guards at the mall exit."
(Roman Catholic Church and Protestant Churches) the celebration of the Eucharist
"The parish priest celebrated mass every Sunday morning before leading the congregation to lunch."
the common people generally
"separate the warriors from the mass"
"power to the people"
Matter, material.
"After hours of quiet reflection in the chapel, the priest began the mass to celebrate the Eucharist with the congregation."
A quantity of matter cohering together so as to make one body, or an aggregation of particles or things which collectively make one body or quantity, usually of considerable size
The Eucharist, now especially in Roman Catholicism.
The principal liturgical service of the Church, including a scripture service and a eucharistic service, which includes the consecration and oblation (offering) of the host and wine.
In plain English: Mass is the amount of matter that makes up an object, which determines how heavy it feels on Earth.
"The total mass of the ingredients determines how much dough we can make."
Usage: Use "mass" only when referring to the main Christian religious ceremony; do not use it as a synonym for physical weight or quantity. Always capitalize the word if you are specifically naming the Catholic, Anglican, or Lutheran service.
To form or collect into a mass; to form into a collective body; to bring together into masses; to assemble.
"The whole parish gathered in the church to celebrate mass on Easter Sunday."
To celebrate mass.
In plain English: To mass means to gather together in a large group.
"The crowd massed near the entrance to watch the parade."
Usage: To mass means to gather or assemble in large numbers at a specific place. It is often confused with celebrating religious services, which should instead be referred to as attending Mass.
formed of separate units gathered into a mass or whole
"aggregate expenses include expenses of all divisions combined for the entire year"
"the aggregated amount of indebtedness"
Involving a mass of things; concerning a large quantity or number.
"The new policy will have a mass effect on small businesses across the entire region."
In plain English: Mass describes something that is large, heavy, and difficult to move.
"The mass production of these toys has made them very cheap."
Usage: Use "mass" as an adjective to describe something involving a very large quantity or group of people or objects, such as a massive crowd or a massive undertaking. Reserve this usage for emphasizing sheer scale rather than physical weight, which is the primary meaning when used as a noun.
Abbreviation of Massachusetts.
"The new highway project connecting Boston to Mass is expected to reduce commute times by twenty minutes."
The word mass entered English around 1400 from Anglo-Norman and Old French, originally referring to a lump or quantity of matter like dough. It traces its roots back to Latin and Ancient Greek terms for a barley cake or lump, which may have come from a verb meaning "to knead."