Origin: French suffix -age
Massage has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:
kneading and rubbing parts of the body to increase circulation and promote relaxation
"After a long day at the office, she booked an appointment for a massage to help her sore shoulders relax."
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.
"After her long day at work, she asked her partner to give her back a deep tissue massage to ease out all the knots."
In plain English: Massage is the act of rubbing and pressing muscles to relax them.
"She gave her husband a relaxing massage after his long day at work."
Usage: Use the noun "massage" to describe the physical act of rubbing or kneading muscles to promote relaxation or relieve pain. It refers specifically to this therapeutic manual treatment rather than metaphorical meanings like manipulating a situation.
To rub and knead (someone's body or a part of a body), to perform a massage on (somebody).
"After her long day at the office, she booked an appointment to get a deep tissue massage for her sore shoulders."
In plain English: To massage means to rub someone's muscles with your hands to help them relax.
"She spent ten minutes massaging her sore shoulders after the long day at work."
Usage: Use the verb massage when describing the physical act of rubbing and kneading muscles to relieve tension or improve circulation. Do not use it metaphorically for manipulating data or influencing opinions, as that usage is incorrect in standard English.
The word "massage" entered English in the late 1700s from French, where it originally meant the act of kneading or pressing. Its ultimate roots lie in Arabic and possibly Portuguese words related to feeling or touching.