Massagers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A device or person that applies pressure or strokes to muscles to relieve tension or pain
2. An apparatus designed to enhance relaxation or improve circulation through rhythmic motions
3. Individuals who perform therapeutic techniques to promote physical well-being and alleviate discomfort in others

Etymology: Massagers is simply the plural of "massager," so the real story is the noun it names. The word is formed from "massage" plus the agent suffix "-er," meaning a device or person that performs the action. "Massage" itself came into English from French "massage," which was built on the verb "masser," meaning to knead or handle. That French verb traces back through Latin "massa," a lump of kneaded dough or mass, which was borrowed from Greek "mássein," to knead. The Greek root is the surprising link. The same ancient verb that meant kneading bread dough also gave English words about shaping and pressing soft material, so a massager is, at root, something that kneads the body the way a baker kneads dough. The "-er" suffix is the English addition. Once "massage" was established as a noun for the treatment, English speakers attached "-er" to make a word for whatever performs or delivers it, and the mechanical devices that carry the name are the later, electric-era extension of that pattern.

Synonyms: masseurs, kneaders, rubbers, manipulators, therapists