Message Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Etymology

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Synonyms message American [mes-ij] / ˈmɛs ɪdʒ /

noun

1. a communication containing some information, news, advice, request, or the like, sent by messenger, telephone, email, or other means.

2. an official communication, as from a chief executive to a legislative body.

   the president's message to Congress.

3. Digital Technology. a post or reply on an online message board.

4. the inspired utterance of a prophet or sage.

5. the point, moral, or meaning of a gesture, utterance, novel, motion picture, etc.

6. Computers. a warning, permission, etc., communicated by the system or software to the user.

   an error message;

   a message to allow blocked content.

verb (used without object)

1. to send a message, especially an electronic message.

verb (used with object)

1. to send (a person) a message.

2. to send as a message.

idioms

1. get the message, to understand or comprehend, especially to infer the correct meaning from circumstances, hints, etc..

   If we don't invite him to the party, maybe he'll get the message.

message British / ˈmɛsɪdʒ /

noun

1. a communication, usually brief, from one person or group to another

2. an implicit meaning or moral, as in a work of art

3. a formal communiqué

4. an inspired communication of a prophet or religious leader

5. a mission; errand

6. (plural) shopping

   going for the messages

7. informal to understand what is meant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. (tr) to send as a message, esp to signal (a plan, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 message More Idioms

1. see get the message.

Other Word Forms

• intermessage noun

Etymology

Origin of message

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin missāticum (unrecorded), equivalent to Latin miss(us) “sent” (past participle of mittere “to send”) + -āticum -age

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

James has seen a huge reaction after sharing the messages from Tommy, with millions of people interacting with the posts.

From BBC

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a nuclear submarine factory and received a message from Russia's Vladimir Putin hailing the countries' "invincible friendship", state media said Thursday.

From Barron's

Lucy, from Edinburgh, sought second opinions from doctors all over the world but the message was the same - she would need urgent surgery and radiotherapy which her baby would not survive.

From BBC

“Strictly's a cross-generational watch in my household - my daughter messages her grandma every week as the dances are happening - and I'd be sad if that cycle was disrupted for a year,” she said.

From BBC

King Felipe VI called on Spaniards to protect "democratic coexistence" against the perils of polarisation in a Christmas message on Wednesday.

From Barron's

Related Words

• directive
• information
• letter
• memo
• memorandum
• news
• note
• notice
• report
• word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.