message

1 of 2

noun

mes·​sage ˈme-sij 

1

: a communication in writing, in speech, or by signals

Please take this message for me to my friend.

2

: a messenger's mission

The girl will go on a message to the shop.

—Cahir Healy

3

: an underlying theme or idea

The message is that it is time to change.

—The Economist

4

: an official position (as of a political party)

Their candidate's speech was on/off message. [=included things that did/did not conform to the party's official position]

message

2 of 2

verb

messaged; messaging

transitive verb

1

: to send as a message or by messenger

2

: to send a message to

intransitive verb

: to communicate by message

Phrases

get the message

: understand something that is not being said directly

When she didn't return my phone calls, I finally got the message. [=finally understood that she did not want to talk to me]

Synonyms of message

Noun

• dispatch
• letter
• communication
• report

Examples of message in a Sentence

Noun

Did you get my message?

She has received messages of support from hundreds of people.

I left a message on her answering machine.

He's not here right now. Can I take a message?

I liked the story but I didn't really agree with the book's message.

He believed in the church's message of forgiveness.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The posts only displayed a few users’ comments despite hundreds of messages. —Chris Lau, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025

For employees and customers, apology language sends a message about corporate culture. —Prachi Gala, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025

Verb

Hundreds have personally messaged Saito, captivated by his chutzpah. —Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Keltner previously revealed that someone had messaged him to tell him Walerius was pregnant with fellow cast member Mike Brockway's child. —Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin missaticum, from Latin missus, past participle of mittere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing message

• error message
• message board
• off message
• on message
• short message service
• text message

Rhymes for message

• presage
• expressage

Kids Definition

message

noun

mes·​sage

ˈmes-ij

1

: a communication in writing, in speech, or by signals

2

: a messenger's errand or function

3

: an underlying theme or idea

Etymology

Noun

Middle English message "job or function of a messenger," from early French message (same meaning), from Latin missaticum "something given to a messenger to deliver," from earlier missus (past participle of mittere "to send, throw") and -aticum "action, result" — related to emit, mission, promise, submissive