n. (often Mass) 1 the Eucharist, esp. in the Roman Catholic Church. 2 a celebration of this. 3 the liturgy used in the mass. 4 a musical setting of parts of this. high mass mass with incense, music, and usu. the assistance of a deacon and subdeacon. low mass mass with no music and a minimum of ceremony.
[ OE msse f. eccl.L missa f. L mittere miss- dismiss, perh. f. the concluding dismissal Ite, missa est Go, it is the dismissal ]