“Message” is the correct spelling. “Messege” is a common misspelling that has no place in any English dictionary. The confusion happens because the ending of “message” doesn’t sound the way it’s spelled — the word is built from the suffix “-age,” not “-ege,” even though both can sound similar when you say the word quickly.
Quick Answer
| “Messege” | “Message” | |
|---|---|---|
| Correct spelling? | No | Yes |
| Found in dictionaries? | No | Yes (Merriam-Webster, Oxford, Cambridge, Collins) |
| Why it appears | Phonetic guesswork, fast typing | Standard English spelling |
Correct: She left me a message about the meeting. Incorrect: She left me a messege about the meeting.
If you remember nothing else from this page, remember that: “message,” not “messege,” every time.
What Does “Message” Mean?
The most common meaning of “message” is a piece of information sent from one person to another, whether spoken, written, or sent electronically.
- I got your message this morning.
- He left a voicemail message before the flight.
“Message” also has a couple of related but distinct meanings:
An underlying idea or theme. A book, film, or speech can carry a “message” even without a literal note being passed along.
- The documentary’s message was about protecting local wildlife.
A formal or official communication. This sense shows up in political and institutional writing.
- The governor’s message to the legislature outlined next year’s budget priorities.
A verb meaning “to contact someone electronically.” This use has grown with texting and social media.
- Message me once you’re at the station.
How to Pronounce “Message”
“Message” is pronounced /ˈmɛsɪdʒ/ — MESS-ij — in both American and British English. It has two syllables, with the stress falling on the first one (“MESS”), and the second syllable is soft, almost swallowed: “-ij,” not a full, separate “edge” sound. That soft, unstressed second syllable is exactly why so many people guess at the spelling instead of remembering it.
Where “Message” Comes From
“Message” entered English in the 14th century through Old French message, which traces back to the Medieval Latin missaticum, built on the Latin verb mittere, meaning “to send.” That root also gave English words like “mission” and “transmit” — all connected by the idea of something being sent from one place, or person, to another.
Why Do People Misspell “Message” as “Messege”?
The mistake almost always comes down to how the word sounds rather than how it’s spelled. A few things push people toward “messege”:
- Phonetic guessing. The unstressed final syllable doesn’t clearly signal “-age” over “-ege,” so people spell what they hear.
- Typing speed. On a phone keyboard, “a” and “e” sit close together, and quick typing invites the swap.
- Autocorrect gaps. Some autocorrect tools catch the error; others, especially on informal messaging apps, let it slide through.
None of this makes “messege” a valid alternate spelling — it’s simply the version people land on when they’re not thinking about the word’s actual structure.
The Spelling Pattern Behind “Message”
English has a fairly consistent pattern for words that end in that soft “-ij” sound. Short, one-syllable words tend to use “-dge” right after a short vowel: badge, edge, ridge, lodge, judge. Longer words, especially ones built from Latin or French roots, typically use “-age” instead: package, passage, village, storage, marriage — and message.
This isn’t a strict rule that covers every English word, but it’s a reliable pattern: when you hear that same soft ending on a longer, multi-syllable word, “-age” is usually the safer bet. That’s why “message” doesn’t follow the more intuitive-looking “-edge” spelling that trips people up.
Is “Message” a Noun or a Verb?
“Message” works as both, and the meaning shifts slightly depending on which one you’re using.
As a noun, it refers to the communication itself.
- I read the message twice before replying.
As a verb, it means to send someone a message, usually electronically.
- Can you message the client with the updated file?
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (singular) | message | I got your message. |
| Noun (plural) | messages | She answered three messages before lunch. |
| Verb (present) | message | I message my parents every Sunday. |
| Verb (3rd person singular) | messages | He messages his coach after every game. |
| Verb (past tense/participle) | messaged | She messaged me the address. |
| Verb (-ing form) | messaging | They’ve been messaging all afternoon. |
| Related noun (person) | messenger | The messenger waited at the gate. |
How to Use “Message” Correctly
Example Sentences
- Everyday: Send me a message when you’re on your way.
- Workplace: Please message the team before making changes to the shared document.
- Academic: The essay’s central message concerns the cost of unchecked ambition.
- Formal writing: The ambassador’s message reaffirmed the terms of the agreement.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake: Did you get my messege? Correction: Did you get my message? Why: “Messege” isn’t a recognized English spelling in any dictionary.
Mistake: I’ll massage you the details later. Correction: I’ll message you the details later. Why: “Massage” refers to physical therapy, not communication — see the comparison below.
Mistake: She sended me a message. Correction: She sent me a message. Why: “Sent,” not “sended,” is the correct irregular past tense of “send.”
Other Common Misspellings
Beyond “messege,” a few other misspellings show up regularly:
- mesage — missing the second “s”
- mesege — missing the “s” and using the wrong vowel
- mssage — missing the vowel between “m” and “s”
All of these are incorrect. “Message,” with a double “s” and an “-age” ending, is the only accepted spelling.
“Message” vs. “Massage”: Don’t Let Autocorrect Trip You Up
“Message” and “massage” look alike, sound almost alike, and sit one letter apart — which makes them a favorite target for autocorrect. They mean completely different things.
- Message (noun/verb): a communication sent from one person to another. I’ll send you a message tonight.
- Massage (noun/verb): the physical manipulation of muscles for relaxation or therapy, from the French masser. She booked a massage after her flight.
This mix-up is especially common because autocorrect sometimes “fixes” a mistyped “messege” into “massage” instead of “message,” since “massage” is a real dictionary word closer in spelling. Before hitting send, it’s worth a second glance if autocorrect has just changed your text.
Incorrect: Please massage me when you land. Correct: Please message me when you land.
Common Idioms and Phrases With “Message”
- Get the message — to understand something that isn’t stated directly. He finally got the message and stopped calling.
- On message / off message — staying consistent (or straying) from an agreed position, often used in politics and PR. The spokesperson stayed on message throughout the interview.
- Leave a message — to record information for someone who isn’t available. She wasn’t home, so I left a message with her roommate.
- Send a message — to communicate an idea, often through an action rather than words. The fine was meant to send a message to other drivers.
Easy Memory Tricks to Remember the Spelling
These are simple learning aids, not official grammar rules:
- Break it in two: MESS + AGE. If you can picture a message that’s aged while it waited to be delivered, the “-age” ending is easier to recall.
- Compare to a cousin word: “Package” and “message” share the same “-age” ending. If you can spell one, you can spell the other.
- Say it slowly: Pronouncing “mes-sage” in two clear syllables, instead of rushing the ending, makes the correct letters easier to picture.
Quick Quiz: Test Yourself
- Choose the correct spelling: messege / message
- Fill in the blank: She left a voice ___ (message) on my phone.
- Correct this sentence: I recieved your messege yesterday.
- Choose the correct word form: He ___ (message/messaged) me an hour ago.
- Identify the part of speech of “message” in this sentence: Message me when you’re free.
- Choose the correct word: I need a relaxing ___ (message/massage) after that flight.
- Fill in the blank: The candidate stayed strictly ___ ___ (on message) during the debate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “messege” ever a correct spelling? No. “Messege” doesn’t appear in any standard English dictionary. “Message” is the only accepted spelling in both American and British English.
Why do people misspell “message” as “messege”? The unstressed ending of “message” doesn’t clearly reveal whether it’s spelled “-age” or “-ege,” so people often spell it the way it sounds rather than the way it’s written. Fast typing and inconsistent autocorrect make the mistake more common.
How do you pronounce “message”? “Message” is pronounced /ˈmɛsɪdʒ/, or “MESS-ij,” with two syllables and stress on the first one. The pronunciation is the same in American and British English.
Is “message” spelled the same in American and British English? Yes. Unlike words such as “color”/”colour,” “message” has one accepted spelling across both varieties of English.
Is “message” a noun, a verb, or both? Both. As a noun, it refers to the communication itself (“I got your message”). As a verb, it means to send someone a message electronically (“Message me later”).
What’s the difference between “message” and “massage”? “Message” refers to a communication sent between people. “Massage” refers to the physical manipulation of muscles for relaxation or therapy. They’re unrelated in meaning despite their similar spelling.
What are the correct plural and verb forms of “message”? The plural noun is “messages.” The verb forms are “message” (present), “messaged” (past tense and past participle), and “messaging” (the -ing form).
Where does the word “message” come from? It entered English in the 14th century from Old French “message,” which comes from the Latin “missaticum,” based on “mittere,” meaning “to send.”
What does “get the message” mean? It means to understand something that’s implied rather than stated outright. After three unanswered calls, he finally got the message.
What’s the difference between “on message” and “off message”? Being “on message” means sticking to an agreed position or set of talking points, often in politics or PR. Being “off message” means straying from that agreed position.
The Bottom Line
“Message” is always correct; “messege” is always a misspelling, no matter how it’s used or where it appears. The confusion comes from the word’s soft, unstressed ending, not from any real disagreement about spelling. If the memory trick sticks — MESS plus AGE — you’ll have no trouble writing it correctly the next time you send, leave, or reply to a message.
Practice Answer Key
- message — “Messege” is not a recognized spelling.
- message — “I left a voice message on my phone.”
- Correct sentence: “I received your message yesterday.” — Fixes both “recieved” (i before e) and “messege.”
- messaged — Past tense of the verb “message.”
- Verb — “Message” here means “to send a message to.”
- massage — The context (relaxing after a flight) calls for physical therapy, not communication.
- on message — The idiom describing consistency with an agreed position.
