Английский Этимологический словарь - mass (1)

- "lump," mid-14c., from O.Fr. masse "lump," from L. massa "kneaded dough, lump," from Gk. maza "barley cake," related to massein "to knead." Sense extended 16c. to "a large quantity, amount, or number." Strict sense in physics is from 1704. Mass meeting is first attested 1733 in Amer.Eng.; mass production is from 1920; and mass media is first recorded 1923.