What does masseur mean?
A masseur is someone who gives massage as a professional service. The word is most often associated with qualified practitioners working in spas, hotels, clinics, or private practice. It traditionally identifies a male practitioner, while the feminine counterpart is masseuse; in contemporary inclusive usage, massage therapist is often preferred because it applies without regard to gender. In a sentence, a masseur is understood as someone trained or qualified in the therapeutic manipulation of muscles and other soft tissues, not merely someone who informally rubs a person's back. Although massage and masseur ultimately belong to a vocabulary influenced by French, the English forms are now fully established. The word is useful in descriptive and historical contexts, while massage therapist is the more neutral choice when professional credentials or gender are not relevant.
nounA person who practises massage professionally, especially as an occupation. The term traditionally denotes a male practitioner.
- A professional practitioner of massage.
"The hotel arranged for a professional masseur to help relieve the guests' tension."
"She visited a qualified masseur after training for a marathon."
"The spa employs two masseurs and three massage therapists."
The plural is formed by adding -s to masseur.
"Several masseurs work at the wellness centre."
Masseur is to massage what a barber is to hair: a professional identified by a particular service.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does masseur come from?
Masseur entered English from French, where it is the masculine agent noun formed from masser, meaning “to massage.” The feminine form masseuse was also borrowed from French. The ultimate origin of the underlying verb is debated, with Arabic masḥ, meaning “to touch,” and Greek massein, meaning “to knead,” both commonly proposed.
Related word forms
How masseur is actually used
The term is formal and professional in tone, and it is now often replaced in inclusive or general contexts by the gender-neutral massage therapist.
Easily confused with masseur
A masseuse is the traditionally feminine counterpart of a masseur, although massage therapist is a gender-neutral term covering either.