message
mes·sage / ˈmesij/ • n. 1. a verbal, written, or recorded communication sent to or left for a recipient who cannot be contacted directly: if I'm not there, leave a message on the voice mail. ∎ an official or formal communication, esp. a speech delivered by a head of state to a legislative assembly or the public: the president's message to Congress. ∎ an item of electronic mail. ∎ an electronic communication generated automatically by a computer program and displayed on a VDT: an error message. ∎ a significant point or central theme, esp. one that has political, social, or moral importance: a campaign to get the message about home security across. ∎ a divinely inspired communication from a prophet or preacher. ∎ a television or radio commercial: we will return after these messages.2. chiefly Brit. an errand: all she did was make the tea and run messages.PHRASES: get the message inf. infer an implication from a remark or action.send a message make a significant statement, either implicitly or by one's actions: the elections sent a message to political quarters that the party was riding a wave of popularity.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin missus, past participle of mittere ‘send.’