English
en masse
En masse comes from French en masse.
- Frenchc. 1600–presenten masseliterally ‘in [a] mass’
- Englishearliest quotation 1805same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Frenchc. 1600–presenten masseliterally ‘in [a] mass’
- Englishearliest quotation 1805same form
Earliest quotation: 1805, The Levy en Masse. [From the Lewes Journal.]: “[L]et the clergy, en Maſſe, preach him down, admoniſh…”
The story
Borrowed from French en masse (literally “in [a] mass”).
Every English word from French en masse
Today it means
adv In a single body or group; as one, together.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / French en masse / en masse