Where does the word mass originate from?

The Word "mass" originates from the Latin term "missa," which referred to the dismissal of the congregation at the end of a Christian service. This term evolved in the context of the Eucharistic celebration in the early Church. The notion of "mass" in a scientific context, referring to the quantity of matter in an object, derives from the Latin "massa," meaning a lump or a bulk. Thus, the term has both religious and scientific connotations rooted in Latin.