mass noun

noun

Definition of mass nounnext
as in count noun

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mass noun
  1. proper noun
  2. common noun
  3. collective noun
Noun
  • Isn’t a planet, by definition, always a proper noun?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
  • Unlike the overheated adjectives that preceded it, this bit of legerdemain is a proper noun.
    — Bruce Stockler, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
Definition of proper noun
Noun
  • Jacob believed that the capitalization of common nouns was an inorganic import and did away with it, a choice that inspired parodies in the German press.
    — Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
  • But perhaps even worse is the alternate fashion of just using common nouns as names, for example, Rust, Ruby, and Scheme.
    — Stephen Cass, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Sep. 2023
Definition of common noun
Noun
  • Since then, flamboyances of flamingos—the collective noun for the birds—have competed with oranges to symbolize the state.
    — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2026
  • This collective noun was earned because owls' solemn expressions resembled elderly politicians debating in dark rooms, says Cassill.
    — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 26 May 2026
Definition of collective noun
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

mass-market
mass noun
mass nouns
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mass noun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mass%20noun. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All