Masse

Massé is a term with several meanings across languages and disciplines. In French, masse means mass, the quantity that measures the amount of matter in an object. It is the standard word for this concept in French physics and everyday language, while English texts typically use mass unless referencing the French term directly.

In cue sports, masse (often written masse or masse shot) designates a specialized shot in billiards, snooker and carom games. The cue ball is struck with a high vertical angle, imparting substantial spin that causes the ball to travel along a curved or vertical path. The shot is used to go around obstacles or to reach targets that are not accessible by a straight-line hit; it requires precise aiming, cue height, and control.

In ballet, massé (often spelled with accent) is a basic movement in which the working leg brushes or slides to a closed position, creating a rounded, flowing line. Variants place the leg in front, to the side, or behind the body.

Outside these contexts, masse appears mainly as a surname, a place name, or in titles borrowed from French. The term’s meaning depends on the domain: physics uses mass, billiards uses a specialized shot, and dance uses a specific leg movement.